Features
Agronomy
Diseases
Fusarium head blight risk increases with humid warmer temperatures
Across most of the Prairies, cereals grown in shortened crop rotations will continue to be vulnerable to Fusarium head blight (FHB) as a result of more severe FHB incidence in 2016, according to Alberta Agriculture and Forestry's update.
July 4, 2018 By Alberta Agriculture and Forestry
Dryer weather conditions across most of the Prairies limited FHB disease in cereal crops in 2017, but a one year break away is not enough time for the disease to decompose. In addition, disease severity is greater under weather conditions of high humidity and warmer temperatures. Temperatures from 15 to 25 C, in June and July, favour spore development.
Areas in the Prairies, like Parkland region in Manitoba, receiving significant amounts of rainfall have increased risk for FHB. Risk maps are available for all three provinces:
The period of time that a cereal plant is suspectible to infection is short, therefore the spray window is also short. The Alberta Climate Information Service has resources to help growers with spraying decisions and the accurate timing for fungicide application. | READ MORE
