Developing a Risk Model to Improve the Effectiveness of Fusarium Head Blight Mitigation in Western Canada
Dr Paul Bullock, Dept of Soil Sciences, University of Manitoba, WADO, PCDF, CMCDC
– To develop weather-based models to assess the risk of FHB infection and DON in spring wheat,
winter wheat, barley and durum crops with different FHB resistance ratings.
– To develop an interactive prairie-wide viewer and FHB/DON risk-mapping tool that is accessible
to producers and industry to assist with fungicide application decisions.
This was the first year of testing at PESAI site and results has been sent to U of M. Researchers
are compiling data from all 15 sites (in three prairies provinces) and will report later.
Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) is the most serious fungal disease affecting wheat and other cereals
in Western Canada and most cropping areas of the world. Producers can lower FHB risk by growing cereals with higher FHB resistance ratings and with the application of a proper fungicide near the time of anthesis. Fungicide can reduce losses in yield, grade and mycotoxin infection such as deoxynivalenol (DON) when weather conditions favor FHB development, the crop is susceptible and Fusarium spp. are present in significant quantities.
When fungicide is applied when weather conditions are not conducive to FHB infection, there is a financial loss to the producer and unnecessary pesticide application with potential environmental side effects. Research has shown that fungicide application does not always provide a tangible benefit.
A weather-based decision management tool that alerts producers when FHB risk is high
has the potential to improve FHB management with significant financial benefit.