Register for UK Small Grain Disease Workshop – February 5, 2016

Carl A. Bradley, University of Kentucky Extension Plant Pathologist

Fusarium head blight (head scab)

A small grain disease workshop will be held at the University of Kentucky Research & Education Center in Princeton, KY (1205 Hopkinsville Street) on February 5, 2016. This is an all-day event with pre-meeting coffee and snacks beginning at 8:00 AM and presentations beginning at 8:30 AM. The meeting includes a lunch sponsored by the Kentucky Small Grain Growers Association and will adjourn at 4:00 PM. In addition to speakers from the University of Kentucky, the meeting will also feature speakers from Kansas State University, Purdue University, and Ontario, Canada.

There is no charge for this meeting, but PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. The meeting is limited to the first 150 people that register.

Wheat Disease Update

Don Hershman, Extension Plant Pathologist, University of Kentucky

The FHB situation in west and southern KY is good. Most fields have 1% FHB or less. Occasionally a field will be seen with 5% incidence and rarely one with 10-20% incidence can be found. In any event, it appears as though the FHB predictive models worked very well (again) this season. In terms of other diseases, the rusts are fairly low at this time. Speckled leaf blotch has made its way to the flag leaf in many fields due to the cooler than normal temps. Nodorum blotch is also present in many fields, but the dry weather the last week has not helped its cause. Hits of BYD are present in most fields, but overall the disease is very limited. Overall, it looks like fungicide sprays made at early anthesis, targeting FHB, will do an excellent job of keeping fungal diseases on the flag leaf in check until dry-down begins.

Wheat Fungicide Efficacy Chart

Chad Lee, Extension Agronomist, University of Kentucky

A new wheat fungicide efficacy chart is available for producers and crop consultants as wheat fields are scouted this spring. The North Central Regional Committee on Management of Small Grains Diseases, which includes Dr. Don Hershman, compiled the data based on field research across the region. All efficacy values are based on labeled rates of each product. Diseases listed on the chart include Powdery Mildew, Stripe Rust, Head Scab and others. A list of the more common wheat diseases in Kentucky can be accessed here.

Products in the chart include strobilurins, triazoles and mixes of both. Products are listed by the active ingredients and the most common product name. Efficacy ratings range from "E' or excellent to "NR" for not recommended and "NL" for not labeled. The table also includes harvest restrictions.

If you have questions about fungicides, fungicide efficacy or wheat diseases, contact your county extension office.

Fungicide Efficacy for Control of Wheat Diseases