Scab Damage Significant On Susceptible Winter Wheat Varieties In Eastern North Dakota

Joel Ransom

I conduct winter wheat variety by fungicide trials in Prosper and near Forman each year. These trials include most of the commercially important winter wheat varieties and a few advanced breeding lines. Fungicide that is recommended for the control of scab is applied to half of the plots at flowering to enable us to quantify the effects of fungicides, varieties and their interaction on the control of scab. These trials are planted no-till into spring wheat residue, but no other inoculum is applied nor are the plots misted. The very wet and humid conditions soon after flowering were ideal for the development of scab this season at both of our locations. We have observed big differences between varieties and more moderate differences between the fungicide and no fungicide plots. The most susceptible varieties have high levels of scab and will undoubtedly have high levels of DON in the grain at harvest. As we have seen in the past, varietal resistance tends to be more important than fungicide in the overall control of scab. Though we have few varieties of winter wheat that we can consider as resistant or even moderately resistant, there are a number that are highly susceptible that should be avoided, particularly in regions of the state where rainfall is likely during flowering and early grain development.

Severe scab damage has been noted in winter wheat varieties this season in southeastern North Dakota.

Source : ndsu.edu