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