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ARS Home » Plains Area » Manhattan, Kansas » Center for Grain and Animal Health Research » Stored Product Insect and Engineering Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #294525
Title: Integration of fungicide application and cultivar resistance to manage fusarium head blight in wheat

Author
item WEGULO, STEPHEN - University Of Nebraska
item BOCKUS, WILLIAM - Kansas State University
item HERNANDEZ NOPSA, JOHN - Kansas State University
item PEIRIS, KAMARANGA H. - Kansas State University
item Dowell, Floyd

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/5/2012
Publication Date: 5/15/2013
Citation: Wegulo, S. N., Bockus, W. W., Hernandez Nopsa, J. F., Peiris, K. H. S., and Dowell, F. E. 2013. Integration of fungicide application and cultivar resistance to manage Fusarium head blight in wheat. In: M. Nita, Editor. Fungicides - Showcases of Integrated Plant Disease Management from Around the World. Rijeka, Croatia: InTech. p. 35-54.

Interpretive Summary: Fusarium head blight (FHB), also known as scab, is a destructive disease of wheat and other small grain cereals. Losses are compounded by the associated mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) which contaminates grain. This chapter provides a brief review of FHB of wheat in North America including occurrence, symptoms, life cycle, economic importance, and integrated management with an emphasis on use of fungicides and host resistance. The review is followed by a presentation of selected research results from experiments conducted by the authors to determine the effects of integrating fungicide application with cultivar resistance on FHB. These results indicate that combining cultivar resistance with fungicide application is a more effective strategy for management of FHB and DON than using a single approach. In North America, a slow but steady progress has been made during the last decade in the development of wheat cultivars with improved resistance to FHB and DON. These cultivars are replacing or complementing older, FHB-susceptible cultivars. Availability of moderately resistant cultivars and new fungicide chemistries coupled with improved fungicide application technology has led to greater farmer adoption of an integrated strategy in the management of FHB and DON.

Technical Abstract: Fusarium head blight (FHB), also known as scab, is a destructive disease of wheat and other small grain cereals. Losses are compounded by the associated mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) which contaminates grain. This chapter provides a brief review of FHB of wheat in North America including occurrence, symptoms, life cycle, economic importance, and integrated management with an emphasis on use of fungicides and host resistance. The review is followed by a presentation of selected research results from experiments conducted by the authors to determine the effects of integrating fungicide application with cultivar resistance on FHB. These results indicate that combining cultivar resistance with fungicide application is a more effective strategy for management of FHB and DON than using a single approach. In North America, a slow but steady progress has been made during the last decade in the development of wheat cultivars with improved resistance to FHB and DON. These cultivars are replacing or complementing older, FHB-susceptible cultivars. Availability of moderately resistant cultivars and new fungicide chemistries coupled with improved fungicide application technology has led to greater farmer adoption of an integrated strategy in the management of FHB and DON.