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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 SD, 6/14/2021

Submitted by Northern Great… on 14, Jun 2021
The warmer temperatures and limited rainfall throughout the state have kept the FHB risk very low. The current weather conditions have also pushed spring wheat to start heading earlier than normal. Growers should keep checking the FHB prediction tool in case of weather changes for spring wheat that is yet to head.

--Emmanuel Byamukama, Assistant Professor and Plant Pathology Extension Specialist, South Dakota State University

FHB Update for ND, 6/9/2021

Submitted by Northern Great… on 10, Jun 2021
A extremely dry spring has “pushed” the wheat and barley crop in North Dakota and there are a few reports of spring wheat starting to head in some areas of the state. Although some rainfall has been received across the state, low relative humidity and hot temperatures has lessened scab concerns for the entire state. However, small grain growth stages are extremely variable and scab risk (and weather) should be revisited as small grain crops begin to enter heading and flowering stages.

--Andrew Friskop, Assistant Professor and Cereal Extension Pathologist, North Dakota State University

FHB Update for MN, 6/8/2021

Submitted by Northern Great… on 9, Jun 2021
The conditions for disease development have further declined across the state with initial infections of the leaf spotting diseases, leaf rust, and Fusarium head blight being unlikely. I expect that the increase in dew points that are forecasted across much of the state will increase the risk of disease development only slightly and only in areas or fields that received substantive precipitation in the past week and a half or that are under irrigation.

The decision to apply a fungicide to suppress FHB in winter wheat or the earliest seeded barley and spring wheat or control crown rust in oats is a difficult one at this junction in time as the extreme heat over the weekend and the predicted daytime highs in the extended forecast do not favor grain fill and thus yield potential.

The sudden change from cold to hot weather and the application of herbicides are resulting in some weird crop responses that in some cases mimic leaf spotting diseases. Make sure that you identify the cause of these leaf spots before applying a fungicide.

Up to this point, the dew points have been low enough that nighttime temperatures stayed in the 50 and 60 across much of the state even as daytime highs soared to triple digits. This has meant that respiration during the night has stayed relatively low and not taken more photosynthate away from the developing kernels.

Meanwhile, reports of aphids and grasshoppers continue to reach me with a larger proportion of reports having numbers that warrant treatment. Scout field edges for grasshoppers and scout the whole field in the case of aphids to determine whether you are reaching economic thresholds and decide to apply an insecticide.

--Jochum Wiersma, Small Grains Specialist, University of Minnesota

FHB Update for SD, 6/9/2021

Submitted by Northern Great… on 9, Jun 2021
Most of the winter wheat in South Dakota is now at flowering. The predicted FHB risk continues to be low due to dry and hot conditions currently being experienced in the state. A fungicide for wheat that is at flowing would not be necessary at this time. However, it is advisable to keep checking the predicted FHB risk until wheat has completed the flowering to determine the need of a fungicide.

--Emmanuel Byamukama, Assistant Professor and Plant Pathology Extension Specialist, South Dakota State University

FHB Update for MI, 6/8/2021

Submitted by Northern SWW Region on 8, Jun 2021
Head scab risk has been low across Michigan, likely driven by the exceptionally dry conditions experienced across most of the state. Flowering in our head scab trials in central Michigan (East Lansing) began May 27th. It should be remembered that best fungicide timing for head scab control occurs from flowering (10.5.1) through seven days post the beginning of flowering. Fungicides applied at this time will also assist with protection of the flag leaf and foliage from late season diseases.

--Martin Chilvers, Associate Professor, Field Crop Pathology, Michigan State University

FHB Update for NY, 6/5/2021

Submitted by Northern SWW Region on 5, Jun 2021
Winter wheat in New York began flowering this week and much acreage was sprayed with Caramba, Prosaro, or Miravis Ace. There is an application window of approximately 7 days from the beginning of flowering in which reasonable FHB and DON suppression can be expected from these fungicides. The risk of FHB infection in winter wheat has increased in some areas of New York over the last few days. Check the Fusarium Risk Assessment Tool (www.wheatscab.psu.edu) and your local weather forecast frequently as your winter wheat crop approaches flowering.

--Gary Bergstrom, Extension Plant Pathologist, Cornell University

FHB Update for PA, 6/4/2021

Submitted by Mid Atlantic S… on 4, Jun 2021
Scab infection risk is growing across the state, but especially in the West and North 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.

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, 6/4/2021

Submitted by Mid Atlantic S… on 4, Jun 2021
Flowering is all finished across all counties of Maryland now, except for a few late planted fields in the northern part of MD that may still be flowering. Currently the risk of FHB is high in these areas and so FHB fungicides (Prosaro/ Miravis-Ace/ Caramba) should be applied here. For most parts, wheat is now in the grain filling stage and should be ready for harvesting in the next couple of weeks. For most parts of the flowering season, we stayed relatively dry, and so far, we have not observed symptom development in terms of bleached spikelets. However, with the recent rains DON content of grains may escalate. It is advisable to get the DON content of the harvested grain analyzed before taking it to the market.

This is the last FHB risk commentary of the season, but feel free to contact me (email: nidhirwt@umd.edu) if you have any questions related to wheat diseases any time of the year!

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

FHB Update for SD, 6/3/2021

Submitted by Northern Great… on 3, Jun 2021
Winter wheat in South Dakota has started flowering, which is also a period when Fusarium head blight (FHB) starts to develop. FHB can cause significant grain yield loss through reduced grain weight and poor quality due to accumulation of mycotoxins mainly deoxynivalenol (DON). The only in-season FHB management practice is by applying a fungicide when the risk for FHB is moderate to high. The timing of the fungicide is crucial in order to maximize protection against FHB. The fungicide needs to be applied at the flowering time, if the risk for FHB is moderate or high. Currently the FHB prediction tool is showing low to high for risk depending on the FHB resistance in the variety planted. Some areas in the state are relatively dry hence the low FHB risk in these areas. However, the FHB risk is likely to change as weather changes. It is advisable to keep checking the predicted FHB risk until wheat has completed the flowering (about 6 days prior to flowering and 6 days after flowering) to be out of danger for FHB. Best fungicides to apply to manage FHB include Prosaro, Miravis Ace, Caramaba.

--Emmanuel Byamukama, Assistant Professor and Plant Pathology Extension Specialist, South Dakota State University

FHB Update for US, 6/2/2021

Submitted by National on 2, Jun 2021
Welcome to the 2021 Fusarium Head Blight Prediction Center. The Prediction Center was renovated this past year and you may need to refresh your web browser to enjoy some of the new features. Please take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the locations of help documents (“?” Button), assessment date selection calendar, and model selection tools (menu button in the upper left).

The Prediction Center is currently focused on an KS, NE, MI, NY, and WI. Wheat in parts of these states likely at or approaching the flowering stages of growth when the crop is most vulnerable for infection by the Fusarium fungus. Currently, the risk maps indicate the risk is low east of the Mississippi river. However, recent rainy and humid weather in the Great Plains has increased the risk of disease in areas of KS, NE and parts of WI. Growers in these areas should check the growth stage of their crop and consult local advisors for additional information about the risk of disease in their area.

--Erick DeWolf, Plant Pathologist, Kansas State University
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