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


https://www.wheatscab.psu.edu

FHB Update for NC, 4/16/2024

Submitted by Southern Atlan… on 16, Apr 2024
Wheat is now entering the flowering period, when it is susceptible to scab infection, across central and eastern NC. In the northeast, wheat fields should be nearly all fully headed by 2 weeks from now, with flowering following a few days behind. The good news is that for the foreseeable future, scab risk in NC (and surrounding states) is very low due to the current, prolonged period of dry warm weather. The 10-day forecast is for mainly dry weather as well. No fungicide is needed for scab management in wheat or other small grain crops that are heading or flowering this week, and the same will likely hold next week too.

--Christina Cowger, Small Grains Pathologist, USDA-ARS, NC State University

FHB Update for NC, 4/16/2024

Submitted by Southern Atlan… on 16, Apr 2024
Wheat is now entering the flowering period, when it is susceptible to scab infection, across central and eastern NC. In the northeast, wheat fields should be nearly all fully headed by 2 weeks from now, with flowering following a few days behind. The good news is that for the foreseeable future, scab risk in NC (and surrounding states) is very low due to the current, prolonged period of dry warm weather. The 10-day forecast is for mainly dry weather as well. No fungicide is needed for scab management in wheat or other small grain crops that are heading or flowering this week, and the same will likely hold next week too.

--Christina Cowger, Small Grains Pathologist, USDA-ARS, NC State University

FHB Update for PA, 4/16/2024

Submitted by Mid Atlantic S… on 16, Apr 2024
Barley is beginning to emerge from boot in the southernmost regions of Pennsylvania. Be sure to scout for growth stage as there appears to be a good deal of variability across the region. Risk of scab infection is low now, but increasing with climbing humidity and high temperatures in the southwestern part of PA.

Keep a watchful eye on your crop, and if you plan to spray for head scab, target a fungicide application for six days after the barley stems in the field have fully headed. Prosaro, Sphaerex, and Miravis Ace give good control of most leaf and head diseases, in addition to suppressing scab. Spray nozzles should be angled at 30 degrees 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, 4/12/2024

Submitted by Mid Atlantic S… on 12, Apr 2024
Welcome to the wheat and barley heading and flowering season, Maryland! This is the first FHB risk forecast for this season from me, and I will continue to provide you with regular commentaries over the next 6-7 weeks. Wheat is some weeks away from flowering, but barley is starting or will soon start to head, especially in the Eastern shore of the state. Unfortunately, for barley, there are no FHB-resistant varieties available so far. So, if you have planted barley, keep monitoring closely for the FHB risk over the next couple of weeks. With the rainy spell of the last week, and some more rain forecasted this week, currently, the Epidemiological models are showing elevated FHB risk over the next 6 days. So, if your barley is starting heading you might consider applying fungicides on it. If you are still some weeks away with your barley heading, keep monitoring for the risk. Remember, the best stage for applying FHB fungicides on barley is when the heads are completely out of the boot s. The FHB fungicides are triazole-containing products (Miravis-Ace, Prosaro, Prosaro-Pro, Sphaerex). Do not apply strobilurin-containing fungicides. Wheat is not at a stage susceptible to FHB susceptible right now.

Some barley growers from across the state also reported stunting, yellowing, and death of barley plants in their fields. The most probable cause of this issue in my opinion is freeze injury. Sudden dips in temperature after the plants caught up after winter may have led to the issue. I have discussed this issue with the other regional pathologists from the US, and they also report similar issues in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and New York. They also think it to be a result of cold injury.

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

FHB Update for NC, 4/9/2024

Submitted by Southern Atlan… on 10, Apr 2024

NC wheat is mostly at boot to flag leaf stage, with the earliest lines heading now. We can expect wheat flowering, the time of infection risk, in the latter half of April and first week of May. The scab risk tool estimates FHB risk for wheat at early flowering on the given day (www.wheatscab.psu.edu). Conditions are currently low-risk across NC and the region, as the weather has been mostly dry. If risk increases and fungicides for scab are needed, the timing in wheat is early to mid-flowering or even a few days later. The best timing for winter barley is around 6 days after full heading.

--Christina Cowger, Small Grains Pathologist, North Carolina State University

FHB Update for AR, 4/8/2023

Submitted by Southern SWW Region on 8, Apr 2024

The Fusarium Head blight risk tool indicates low scab pressure for the state of Arkansas on susceptible varieties as of April 8th.  Most wheat should be flowering in the south and central part of the state or will be by the end of this week.  Growers should be mindful that the tool provides regional guidance, and this alone does not guarantee that you will not see some level of scab in your fields.  The information provided by this tool should be used in addition to local experience with your fields and previous knowledge of varieties grown.  If a fungicide application for scab is made, optimal timing is early flowering to 5 days after the start of flowering with a product labelled for scab suppression.  Please see the current Arkansas Plant Disease Control Products Guide – MP154 (https://www.uaex.uada.edu/publications/mp-154.aspx) for fungicide options for scab.  Additionally, earlier fungicide applications were made to some fields for stripe rust. These applications should not be
  considered preventative for scab.

 --Terry N. Spurlock, Associate Professor and Extension Plant Pathologist, University of Arkansas

FHB Update for LA, 4/6/2023

Submitted by Southern SWW Region on 8, Apr 2024

Our crop looks very good, and the wheat growth stages range from heading to milk (very small amount). I have not seen any symptoms of FHB, but symptoms should be evident when the wheat progresses to soft dough.

 --Boyd Padgett, Professor, LSU AgCenter

FHB Update for GA, 4/3/2024

Submitted by National on 4, Apr 2024
The Fusarium Head Blight risk forecast model indicates low risk for the main wheat-producing areas of the state as of April 3, 2024. Wheat growth is primarily in the heading and/or flowering stages. Keep monitoring the Fusarium Risk Tool to make an informed decision if a fungicide is needed for FHB management. Stripe rust infections have been early, widespread, and severe in numerous counties in southwest part of the state. Several county agents have reported heavy infections of Powdery mildew. Check the 2024 Georgia Pest Management Handbook for wheat disease control fungicide selection. Follow label instructions.

--Alfredo Martinez-Espinoza, Professor and Extension Specialist , University of Georgia

FHB Update for US, 4/1/2024

Submitted by National on 2, Apr 2024
Welcome to the Fusarium Head Blight Prediction Center. These tools provide daily estimates of disease risk for wheat and other small grains in 35 states. The current focus of the prediction effort is on the Southern US where wheat is approaching or already at the heading and flowering stages of growth that are critical to the development of Fusarium head blight. The risk map indicates a low risk of severe disease for most areas of the Southern US. However, there are some small pockets of moderate and high risk in central Louisiana and eastern Texas. Growers in these areas should consult with local University Extension or other advisors to evaluate the need for fungicide applications.

Tips of using the tool: The tool shows the disease risk for susceptible wheat varieties for today’s date. You can select earlier assessment dates by clicking on the calendar menu at the top of the risk map.

Use the menu button on the upper left to view risk maps for wheat varieties with other levels of genetic resistance to Fusarium head blight. This menu also provides options for viewing additional map features or restricting areas displayed to just the major wheat production areas.

Risk maps based on 2, 4 or 6 days of forecasted weather can help users anticipate future trends in disease risk. These maps are available by selecting the 2d, 4d and 6d buttons to the right of the calendar menu.

--Erick DeWolf, Plant Pathologist, Kansas State University

FHB Update for US, 3/15/2024

Submitted by National on 18, Mar 2024
The Fusarium Head Blight Prediction Center is active for the 2024 growing season. These tools provide daily estimates of disease risk for wheat and barley in 35 states. The risk map is currently showing areas of moderate and high risk in the Southern US. Growers in these areas should consult with local University Extension or other advisors to evaluate the need for fungicide applications.

Tips for using the tool: The tool shows the disease risk for susceptible wheat varieties for todays date. You can select earlier assessment dates by clicking on the calendar menu at the top of the risk map. Use the menu button on the upper left to view risk maps for wheat varieties with other levels of genetic resistance to Fusarium head blight. This menu also provides options for viewing additional map features or restricting area displayed to just the major wheat production areas.

Risk maps based on 2, 4 or 6 days of forecasted weather can help users anticipate future trends in disease risk. These maps are available by selecting the 2d, 4d and 6d buttons to the right of the calendar menu.

--Erick DeWolf, Plant Pathologist, Kansas State University
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