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Timing fusarium head blight treatment a concern for Manitoba growers
June 28, 2023 By Top Crop Manager
Manitoba’s latest crop report says a welcome increase in rainfall has helped improve crops across the province but raises concern over the decision to spray for fusarium head blight on advancing crops.
Rainfall was received in most regions of Manitoba this past week, but amounts varied by region from low levels to excessive. Areas that did receive significant rainfall have seen a slight improvement in crops from the previous week. Crop development has been rapid, but there is some concern for producers choosing to spray for fusarium head blight, as crops are advancing rapidly, and growers do not want to miss the narrow spray window.
Corn growth stage ranged from V6 to V8 leaf stage for the earliest seeded fields. Canola ranged from two- to four-leaf stage on late seeded and re-seeded fields to full flower on the earliest seeded fields. Most fields ranged from the early bolting to flowering stage.
In lower rainfall areas, growers remain concerned about uneven and stagey canola stands which are proving difficult to manage in terms of herbicide and fungicide timing.
Seven-day accumulated precipitation in Manitoba’s agricultural regions:
| Region | Wettest location last week | Driest location last week |
| Central | Plumas (63.5 mm) | Portage EC (4.0 mm) |
| Eastern | Rosa (38.8 mm) | Beausejour (5.8 mm) |
| Interlake | Fisherton (153.0 mm) | Lake Francis (4.2 mm) |
| Northwest | McCreary (65.5 mm) | Birch River (1.7 mm) |
| Southwest | Erickson (69.6 mm) | Russell (6.5 mm) |
Most cereals are now entering the stem elongation or booting phase, with around one third undergoing anthesis. Some crops in the central region have been suffering from moisture stress, with cereals particularly hit badly. In some areas cereals were yellowing or starting to die.
Most of the field pea crops are in the R2 (beginning bloom) growth stage over the last week, but some plants at the R3 (flat pod) growth stage were found. Producers and agronomists continued assessing the need for fungicide applications given variable rainfall across the province.
Soybean growth stage ranged from the first to second trifoliate on late seeded fields to R1 (early flower). Crop growth and development continued to be rapid in the warm weather, and field yellowing from iron chlorosis was disappearing.
