Reading Time: 5 minutes Fusarium head blight continued its devastating march across Alberta last summer, and shows no sign of slowing down. “It’s become something that’s well established in the southern part of the province, and the situation is starting to change elsewhere in the province, especially central and northern Alberta,” said Kelly Turkington, a research scientist with Agriculture […] Read more
Fusarium head blight infections hit record high in 2016
Almost one-quarter of cereal samples from 2016 have tested positive for fusarium head blight — a 10 per cent jump from 2014’s previous record high
Even a dry year didn’t slow fusarium’s invasion
Many expected fusarium levels to drop last year, but instead it spread east and north and was worse in the south
Reading Time: 3 minutes Despite dry weather in 2015, fusarium head blight was found in almost twice as many counties as it was in 2010. A province-wide survey conducted by provincial scientists detected fusarium graminearum — the pathogen that causes fusarium head blight in cereals — in 22 counties in Alberta, up from 13 counties in the 2010 survey. […] Read more
Don’t let down your guard when it comes to fusarium
Provincial crop specialist says seed testing and using seed treatment are critical
Reading Time: 2 minutes Fusarium head blight outbreaks can cause significant losses in grain yield and grain quality, while also resulting in the production of mycotoxin-Deoxynyvalenol that affects livestock feed, the baking and milling quality of wheat and the malting and brewing qualities of malt barley. That’s why producers need to be vigilant, even if its rate of infection […] Read more
No ‘silver bullets’ for fusarium — but you can reduce your risk
Longer crop rotations, resistant varieties, and — as a last resort — fungicides are the partial weapons in a weak arsenal
Reading Time: 4 minutes When it comes to fusarium head blight, cereal growers tend to suffer from NIMBY syndrome — ‘not in my backyard.’ “Over the years, we’ve heard many comments that ‘it’s a Manitoba problem — it’ll never be a problem here in Alberta,’” federal research scientist Kelly Turkington said at the recent Agronomy Update conference. “But in […] Read more
Alberta Wheat Commission funds research
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Alberta Wheat Commission is investing $970,000 over five years in 13 wheat-related research projects. Projects include: effectiveness and appropriate timing of plant growth regulators; fusarium head blight resistance in spring wheat; development of soft white spring and general purpose spring wheat with higher yield potential; influence of genotype, weather, growing environment, and crop management […] Read more
Fusarium graminearum survey underway
Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta Agriculture and Forestry is conducting a survey on Fusarium graminearum to help better manage the disease. “For example, if you’re trying to prevent the introduction of the organism in an area, there are certain things you can do, but if it’s already there, the prevention practices aren’t going to work,” said provincial plant pathologist Michael […] Read more
Stripe rust reported in County of Forty Mile and in Parkland Co
Reading Time: < 1 minute Stripe rust has been reported on older leaves of winter wheat all across central and southern Alberta. Frequent scouting and monitoring of stripe rust in winter wheat is strongly urged. Protection with a fungicide application may be required at flag leaf emergence if the disease begins to move into the upper canopy in susceptible winter […] Read more
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