Olanrewaju Shittu 1 and Paul Esker 1
1. Penn State, Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology, State College, Pennsylvania
Corresponding Author: Olanrewaju Shittu, oms5169@psu.edu
Shittu, Olanrewaju
Fusarium head blight (FHB) remains one of the most significant threats to wheat production globally. FHB management depends not only on scientific advances, but also on how those advances affect decisions made by key stakeholders. This study examines stakeholder perceptions, awareness, and management strategies for FHB across two contrasting production systems: Pennsylvania, USA, and Ethiopia, where disease risk is high but the challenges each production system faces differ.A total of twenty-eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with stakeholders, including nine farmers, two millers, and two extension agents in Pennsylvania, and fifteen agricultural professionals in Ethiopia, comprising plant breeders, pathologists, extension agents, agronomists, field assistants, and a biotechnologist. The study was conducted in accordance with a protocol approved by the Institutional Review Board at The Pennsylvania State University (STUDY00025627). Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed by themes in NVivo software, focusing on five broad areas: engagement with farmers, wheat production context, farmer decision-making, disease challenges, and management needs.Results revealed marked contrasts in awareness, seed systems, and management approaches. In Ethiopia, awareness of FHB has increased following severe outbreaks in 2019 and 2022, yet misidentification of the disease remains common. Farmers often attributed symptoms to early maturity rather than a pathogen. Awareness campaigns have since introduced training, photographs, and demonstration plots. Disease resistance is the foremost criterion for seed choice, but access to improved seed remains limited due to Ethiopia’s informal seed markets and cost barriers. Fungicide options are scarce, and continuous wheat production policies undermine recommended rotation practices.In Pennsylvania, FHB is the primary disease concern due to strict grain quality standards and the risk of DON contamination. Farmers rely heavily on prophylactic fungicide applications and consider this “just a cost of doing business.” Variety selection is dominated by yield and standability, with disease resistance viewed as a secondary trait. Although the FHB risk prediction tool is available, growers often ignore it, citing local microclimates and timing constraints. Instead, private agronomists and seed companies exert strong influence on decision-making.Comparatively, Ethiopian stakeholders prioritize resistance in the face of constrained access to inputs, while Pennsylvania growers emphasize profitability and logistical efficiency. Both systems demonstrate that awareness alone does not guarantee adoption of integrated disease management. Driving systems-level change in FHB management requires coordinated improvements in seed systems, clearer communication pathways between researchers and stakeholders, and a firm integration of social and economic realities.
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