Invited Presenter

Alyssa A. Collins
1. Department of Plant Pathology & Environmental Microbiology, The Pennsylvania State University Southeast Agricultural Research & Extension Center, Manheim, PA
Corresponding Author: Alyssa A. Collins, collins@psu.edu

Collins, Alyssa

aac18@psu.edu

How do the elements of our growing systems influence and complicate our ability to reduce Fusarium head blight and mycotoxin contamination? In many regions of the United States, small grains are important but must compete for priority with several other critical crops. Growing wheat and barley following corn is something producers in these regions often have no way to avoid. Economic considerations can force growers to give precedence to forage production and limit rotational options. Cultural and policy incentives toward environmental improvement make no-till production prevalent and crop residue abundant. These regions are also now experiencing more frequent weather extremes, resulting in unpredictable and intense temperature and moisture swings, making them difficult to account for in disease prediction models. Management for scab reduction in these systems presents numerous decision-making challenges for farmers and their advisors. We will explore how the convergence of factors in the diverse cropping systems of the southeast, mid-Atlantic and northeast U.S. influences our ability to sufficiently understand risk and efficacy of management strategies. Cases will be presented from small grain production regions in North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Kentucky to drive discussion about how we weigh management strategies and to understand where previous recommendations have broken down. How should we frame our research questions to address the intricacies of these systems and what are the elements missing from our focus that can drive the next phase of integrated management investigation?

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