Invited Presenter

Isaack Kikway
1. The Ohio State University, Wooster, Ohio, 44691
Corresponding Author: Isaack Kikway, kikway.1@osu.edu

Paul, Pierce

paul.661@osu.edu

As part of the Fusarium head blight (FHB) Management Coordinated project (MGMT_CP), Uniform Fungicide (UFT) and Integrated Management (IMT) trials have been conducted in all major wheat and malting barley market classes across states commonly affected by FHB. Over the years, the UFT program has evolved from simply testing experimental fungicides and biological control agents to evaluating commercially available fungicides under highly FHB-favorable conditions that are promoted by mist irrigation and/or artificial inoculations of plots planted with susceptible varieties. Studies conducted during the early years of the UFT program led to the discovery that Demethylation Inhibitor (DMI) fungicides were more effective against FHB and DON than the other chemistries evaluated at the time, that Metconazole, Prothioconazole and Tebuconazole were the most effective of the available DMIs; that heading and early-anthesis were the optimum growth stages for treatment application to effectively manage FHB and DON in barley and wheat, respectively; and the establishment of Prosaro and Caramba as industry standards for FHB management. Thanks in no small part to the MGMT_CP, several fungicides have received federal registration for FHB and DON management, and invaluable information has been generated regarding the efficacy of pre- and post-anthesis fungicide applications; the negative effects of Quinone Outside Inhibitor fungicides on DON contamination of grain, even when applied at early growth stages for foliar disease management; the efficacy and economic benefit of sequential fungicide applications; the efficacy and stability of integrating a well-timed fungicide application and genetic resistance for FHB/DON management; and more recently, the efficacy of newer DMI-DMI and DMI-SDHI (succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor) premix fungicides relative to the industry standards. Findings from these studies have led to the development of management programs with FHB and DON control efficacy consistently greater than 70%, and relatedly, changes to in-field FHB/DON management recommendations that have helped to reduce the negative impacts of FHB and DON in multiple production regions and grain classes.

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