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The Fusarium Head Blight Risk Assessment Tool can be accessed on-line at:


https://www.wheatscab.psu.edu


FHB Update for PA, 5/27/2022

Submitted by Mid Atlantic S… on 27, May 2022
Most areas of Central and Southern PA have flowering wheat, or wheat that is about to flower. Scab infection risk is growing across the state for all resistance classes of wheat. If your wheat in these areas is heading and approaching flowering, stay alert and consider a fungicide application. Caramba, Prosaro and Miravis Ace give good control of most leaf and head diseases, in addition to suppressing scab. Spray nozzles should be angled at 30° down from horizontal, toward the grain heads, using forward- and backward mounted nozzles or nozzles with a two directional spray, such as Twinjet nozzles. If weather conditions prevent fungicide application at early flowering, an application as soon as conditions allow will still be quite effective in reducing scab and DON production. Follow labels to determine post-harvest interval constraints for the fungicide you choose.

Continue to visit wheatscab.psu.edu to use the Fusarium Head Blight Prediction Center for estimating your crop’s scab risk.

--Alyssa A. Collins, Associate Professor, Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology, The Pennsylvania State University

FHB Update for MD, 5/24/2022

Submitted by Mid Atlantic S… on 24, May 2022
Flowering is finishing up across all of Maryland now, except for a few late planted fields in the northern part of MD that may still be flowering. FHB risk across the state continues to be high. So, if your wheat is currently flowering or has flowered within last 4-5 days, you can still spray FHB fungicides. I have started scouting the wheat variety trials for FHB symptoms on the Eastern shore and am already observing moderate FHB incidences in untreated plots there. The weather conditions have been conducive for FHB this season so far. If you have planted resistant varieties, the situation is expected to be better. Natural infections of leaf rust and stripe rust are also being seen sporadically. I do not expect any major losses due to these two now though. So its okay not to spray any fungicide specifically for these diseases.

--Nidhi Rawat, Small Grains Pathologist, University of Maryland

FHB Update for PA, 5/24/2021

Submitted by Mid Atlantic S… on 24, May 2022
Over the next week, areas in the east (especially southeast) of Pennsylvania will be at the highest risk of Fusarium infection for wheat flowering at this time. Growers with susceptible or very susceptible varieties of wheat beginning to flower now should consider a fungicide treatment ahead of potential rains on Thursday. If weather conditions prevent fungicide application at early flowering, an application as soon as conditions allow will still be quite effective in reducing scab and DON production. Continue to visit wheatscab.psu.edu to use the Fusarium Head Blight Prediction Center, as your fields begin to flower.

--Alyssa A. Collins, Associate Professor, Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology, The Pennsylvania State University

FHB Update for PA, 5/18/2021

Submitted by Mid Atlantic S… on 18, May 2022
Wheat growers in southern PA should watch their crops closely for heading and flowering heading into the weekend, when very susceptible varieties will be at high risk for scab infection. If you choose to spray, target your wheat crop at early flowering. Caramba, Prosaro and Miravis Ace give good control of most leaf and head diseases, in addition to suppressing scab. Spray nozzles should be angled at 30° down from horizontal, toward the grain heads, using forward- and backward mounted nozzles or nozzles with a two directional spray, such as Twinjet nozzles. Continue to visit wheatscab.psu.edu to use the Fusarium Head Blight Prediction Center, as your fields begin to flower.

--Alyssa A. Collins, Associate Professor, Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology, The Pennsylvania State University

FHB Update for MD, 5/18/2022

Submitted by Mid Atlantic S… on 18, May 2022
With the recent showers and warming weather, FHB risk in the state is increasing. Wheat in the Eastern Shore of Maryland has finished or is just finishing flowering. If your wheat has just flowered last week, and you have not sprayed FHB fungicides you can still do so, as fungicide application 4-6 days after flowering is also known to provide some control. Wheat in the Northern parts is either flowering/ will soon start flowering. The FHB risk for this part of the state (Frederick, Carroll and Harford counties) is predicted to be moderate to high, especially if the wheat variety planted is susceptible. If the planted variety is resistant, the risk is not predicted to be particularly high. The recommended stage for application of fungicides on wheat is at flowering (50% of the main tillers showing yellow anthers) or within 4-5 days of that. The fungicides effective for FHB are Prosaro-pro/ Caramba/ Miravis-Ace. These fungicides do not need to be tank-mixed with another product for spr aying. The fungicide products should be applied at the full rate recommended by the manufacturers. Strobilurin containing fungicides should not be sprayed at this stage.

--Nidhi Rawat, Small Grains Pathologist, University of Maryland

FHB Update for MD, 5/10/2022

Submitted by Mid Atlantic S… on 10, May 2022
Wheat is currently flowering on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Growers with susceptible varieties planted are advised to spray head scab fungicides (Prosaro/ Caramba/ Miravis-Ace). However, if your planted wheat variety is resistant, the predicted risk for FHB is not high, so you can skip using the FHB fungicide application. Please note that if you are concerned about other fungal diseases like powdery mildew in your crop, you should still opt for the FHB fungicides at this stage. Strobilurin containing fungicides should not be sprayed at this stage. These fungicides do not need to be tank-mixed with another product for spraying. The fungicide products should be applied at the full rate recommended by the manufacturers. In the Northern counties, we are still around a week away from flowering.

--Nidhi Rawat, Small Grains Pathologist, University of Maryland

FHB Update for MD, 5/6/2022

Submitted by Mid Atlantic S… on 6, May 2022
'Wheat in the Eastern Shore and the Southern part of the state is flowering (yellow anthers showing up on the heads) currently. Hopefully, you did not select a highly susceptible variety to begin with, as the FHB risk is increasing for such varieties. Growers with highly susceptible wheat varieties planted and having their wheat flowering, are advised to spray head scab fungicides (Prosaro/ Caramba/ Miravis-Ace). However, if you planted an FHB resistant variety, the head scab risk is predicted low currently. Powdery mildew is being observed across several fields this year, depending upon the planted variety. If you see high levels of powdery mildew on flag leaves and heads do not spray strobilurin containing fungicides, instead opt for FHB fungicides, as these control all fungal diseases. In the Northern counties, we are still around 7-10 days away from flowering.

--Nidhi Rawat, Small Grains Pathologist, University of Maryland

FHB Update for PA, 5/6/2021

Submitted by Mid Atlantic S… on 6, May 2022
Scab risk across the majority of PA remains low through the weekend despite forecasted moisture, mainly because of unseasonably cool temperatures. However, for barley that will be heading across southern and central western PA in the first half of next week, a protective fungicide application may be advised for susceptible or very susceptible varieties. Check your risk level any time at wheatscab.psu.edu.

--Alyssa A. Collins, Associate Professor, Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology, The Pennsylvania State University

FHB Update for MD, 5/04/2022

Submitted by Mid Atlantic S… on 4, May 2022
Wheat in the Eastern Shore of Maryland will be flowering (50% of the main tillers showing yellow anthers) in a couple of days. Although the weather has been wet since the weekend, the temperatures are rather low for widespread FHB development. Therefore, the epidemiological models are predicting low risk currently and for the next 4-6 days. However, with more rains coming, growers are advised to keep a close eye on the FHB risk over the coming days. In case the risk escalates, the recommended head scab fungicides are Prosaro/ Caramba/ Miravis-Ace/ at wheat flowering or within 4-5 days afterwards. Strobilurin containing fungicides should not be sprayed at this stage. In the northern counties, wheat is booting, and still roughly around 1-2 weeks away from flowering.

--Nidhi Rawat, Small Grains Pathologist, University of Maryland

FHB Update for MD, 4/30/2022

Submitted by Mid Atlantic S… on 30, Apr 2022
Welcome to the FHB risk assessment for Maryland. This is our first commentary for this season, and they will be posted regularly throughout the small grain season from here on. Hopefully, you selected a resistant wheat variety for your planting this year after referring to the University of Maryland’s FHB evaluation of wheat varieties. A good start goes a long way in managing FHB.

Wheat in the Eastern shore of Maryland is either at jointing or booting stage and should be heading out in a week or so. Barley, however, is heading in most parts of the state. It is important to note that the correct stage for spraying fungicides on wheat is at flowering (when the yellow anthers start to show on the heads), whereas on barley it is at heading (when the heads emerge from the boots). Up in the north in Frederick, Harford and nearby counties, wheat plants are starting to joint, and are not at a stage prone for FHB.

The FHB risk is currently predicted to be low across the state. However, with the shower forecasted for this weekend, the risk may escalate in the coming weeks. The traditionally recommended fungicides for FHB are Prosaro, Miravis-Ace or Caramba at the right stage of the crop. Several new products are commercially available to the farmers this year for FHB management, including Sphaerex (from BASF) and Prosaro-Pro (from Bayer). Trials have been conducted over the past two years by pathologists at public Universities across multiple states (including by me at the University of Maryland) with these new products, and these new products were found to be equally effective in controlling FHB and DON in wheat and barley. The FHB-fungicides should be able to control any other foliar fungal diseases observed in wheat and barley (such as powdery mildew). Fungicides containing strobilurin should not be applied for control of FHB, as in multiple university research trials, strobilurin fungicides have been shown to increase DON levels in grain.

--Nidhi Rawat, Small Grains Pathologist, University of Maryland
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