Risk for fusarium head blight in cereal crops was very high this year, although it appears fungicide applications have worked well, as incidences are mostly at low levels.
Manitoba Agriculture plant pathologist Sara Bajracharya says crop disease overall this year has been more widespread, although not necessarily as serious. She says fusarium is present at low levels in most cereal crops, including some oat crops.
"Oats, in general, are less susceptible than wheat (to fusarium), so generally we don't see a lot of fusarium head blight in oats, but having said that it is possible," Bajracharya. "When you think about a disease, it is always good to think about a disease triangle, and not just previous scenarios. So anytime there is a pathogen present, conducive environments, and a susceptible host is present, it's bound to have an infection."
But because the disease incidences are still fairly low, Bajracharya says this indicates fungicide applications this year were effective.
Source : Portageonline