Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a serious disease of wheat and barley that affects both yield and grain quality. Recently a new fungicide, Sphaerex, was registered for the control of FHB and deoxynivalenol (DON) accumulation on wheat. Sphaerex contains two active ingredients: metconazole and prothioconazole. We conducted a trial to evaluate the efficacy of Sphaerex on FHB and DON on barley at the University of Idaho Aberdeen Research and Extension Center during the 2022 growing season. In the first year of the trial, experimental plots (5 × 9.3 ft) were arranged in a randomized complete block design with six replicates. Plots were inoculated with Fusarium graminearum infected corn spawn three weeks before heading. They were later inoculated with macroconidial suspensions (100,000 spores/ml) 24 hours after heading application of fungicides. The susceptible variety, LCS Odyssey, was used to compare the efficacy of 1) single application of Sphaerex at full heading to the applications of 2) Priaxor at herbicide timing followed by Sphaerex at full heading, 3) Miravis Ace at half heading, 4) Miravis Ace at full heading, 5) Prosaro at heading 6) Prosaro Pro at heading, and 7) untreated plots were used as checks. FHB incidence and index (plot severity) were determined from 100 randomly chosen heads per plot at soft dough. Plots were harvested with a small plot combine and yield (bu/A) was determined with the HarvestMaster system. Subsamples from three replications were measured for DON, test weight and protein content at the Illinois Crop Improvement Association lab in Champaign, IL. Data were analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedure in SAS 9.4. DISCLAIMER

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