Producers are starting to see fields of green, as we roll into the middle of June. This means it’s time for those boots to hit the field (again/still), as scouting for disease and insect pressure, nutrient deficiencies and undesirable plants is crucial to understanding the health of plant populations and maximizing yields through subsequent management decisions. In… Read More
Search Results for: fusarium
The Canadian Grain Commission recently announced upcoming changes to tolerance levels for Ergot, Sclerotinia and Fusarium. The new levels will help create uniformity and simplify assessment. “These grading changes are not only uniform between Eastern and Western Canada, they also ensure Canada’s grain continues to uphold its reputation for quality and safety.” said Elwin Hermanson, chief commissioner,… Read More
Did you know that wheat seed that has been negatively impacted by glyphosate application will show no visible signs of damage? So though you may be able to see mechanical damage, there are many factors that hide beneath the surface, including disease presence and susceptibility. That’s why it’s important to send seed for a test that goes… Read More
Farmers in Manitoba know the symptoms of fusarium head blight all too well — bleaching of the grain head, sometimes with a pink tinge, that results in shriveled and shrunk kernels. Sometimes called scab or tombstone, fusarium head blight not only bites into yield, it’s also a downgrading factor of grain. Grain with fusarium damaged… Read More
There’s no one fusarium management tool that will effectively do the job. The best control possible on the wheat crop is going to happen through layering of several management practices together. But which ones have the greatest impact? Phil Needham, of of Needham Ag Technologies, says there are a few “musts” in every fusarium management… Read More
While fusarium head blight is an annual threat to winter and spring wheat crops each year in Ontario, the U.S. and parts of Western Canada, wet and humid weather can cause the disease to flourish even more than average, consuming yield and knocking down grades. This year has proven no different, and, as the winter… Read More
Manitoba has the not-so-great distinction of being the fusarium hot spot of the Canadian Prairies. This year, ample moisture and recent heat have combined to create a high-humidity soup pot of fusarium head blight growth and spread. Farmers in other provinces need to be on the look out as well, as the disease spreads west…. Read More
Fusarium head blight, or tombstone blight, is slowly moving west, and growers in regions not traditionally accustomed to fusarium are beginning to see premature bleaching/blighting of wheat heads and shriveled seeds caused by the pathogen. Fusarium doesn’t just affect the grade and yield of a wheat field, it may also contaminate wheat kernels with mycotoxins… Read More
Targeting wheat heads requires a very different approach when spraying than when looking after the flag leaf — water volume and travel speed play a role, but it’s the upright, thin nature of the head that requires a switch in nozzles for best coverage. In this interview, Ontario cereal specialist Peter Johnson reviews what it… Read More
As wheat heads first emerge from the boot, the clock starts ticking — from fully emerged you’ve got about six days to protect the head from the dreaded fusarium head blight. Farmers should target a fungicide application to coincide with heads on 75% of plants at around Day 2 to Day 4. Not sure what… Read More
Just when you think you’re getting somewhere on disease management, the disease population shifts just enough to stay competitive. Fusarium, with its many strains and staying power on residue, is a constant thorn in the side of many Manitoba farmers, but it’s also increasingly an issue for Alberta and Saskatchewan farmers as well. What’s more,… Read More
An increase of fusarium incidence in Alberta, combined with a very hot summer, has left some farmers unsure of what’s wrong with some sample of wheat seed. In a very dry year, drought stress can shrivel kernels and cause them to look similar to fusarium damaged kernels. From a marketing perspective, knowing the difference and… Read More
Although Alberta seed producers have done an excellent job of managing the risks associated with diseases, several of our Lethbridge clients have been concerned about Fusarium graminearum in their cereals this season and have been requesting more disease testing. One-third of the cereal samples tested this fall have tested positive for the fungus, with infection… Read More
There is no silver bullet solution when it comes to fusarium. The disease is widespread and can be devastating if it’s left unchecked or handled incorrectly. When it comes to management and control of the disease, the best bet any producer has involves an integrated approach. That approach involves three key steps that together give… Read More
This episode of the Wheat School can be summarized as a bit of a fusarium clinic. Peter Johnson, Cereal Specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs gives us a first hand look at the difference in resistance between older wheat varieties and some of the newer generations. Here we get confirmation… Read More