Wheat on Maryland's Eastern Shore is heading and should begin flowering within about a week or so. Wheat in northwestern Maryland (Frederick, Carroll, and Harford counties) is also at or near heading, with some fields already starting to head. Wheat becomes most susceptible to Fusarium head blight (FHB) at flowering, so the highest-risk window will begin as soon as heads start to flower and will continue for some days thereafter.

FHB infection occurs primarily when yellow anthers emerge from the head. This is the optimal timing for an FHB-targeted fungicide application. Recent showers have helped relieve drought stress, but they also increase the potential for FHB by creating more favorable moisture conditions. Current FHB risk is moderately high and could increase further if forecasted rainfall raises humidity and temperatures.

Please be prepared to spray at early flowering (when anthers are visible) or within 4-6 days of flowering, depending on field conditions and application logistics.

If you plan to apply a fungicide for FHB, use a triazole-containing product such as Miravis Ace, Prosaro, Prosaro Pro, or Sphaerex. These products also provide activity against several foliar fungal diseases. Avoid strobilurin-containing fungicides at this stage.

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