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Title: Modeling the main fungal diseases of winter wheat: constraints and possible solutions

Author
item EL JARROUDI, MOUSSA - Universite De Liege
item KOUADIO, LOUIS - University Of Southern Queensland
item TYCHON, BERNARD - Universite De Liege
item EL JARROUDI, MUSTAPHA - Université Abdelmalek Essaâdi
item JUNK, JURGEN - Luxembourg Institute Of Science & Technology
item Bock, Clive
item DELFOSSE, PHILIPPE - Luxembourg Institute Of Science & Technology

Submitted to: Plant Pathology
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/22/2018
Publication Date: 9/3/2018
Citation: El Jarroudi, M., Kouadio, L., Tychon, B., El Jarroudi, M., Junk, J., Bock, C.H., Delfosse, P. 2018. Modeling the main fungal diseases of winter wheat: constraints and possible solutions. In: Kimatu, J.M., editor. Advances of Plant Pathology. London: IntechOpen. p. 3-30.

Interpretive Summary: The first step in the formulation of disease management strategy for any cropping system is to identify the most important risk factor among those on the long list of possible candidates. This is facilitated by basic epidemiological studies of pathogen life cycles, and an understanding of the way in which weather and cropping factors affect the level of initial inoculum and the rate at which progress through the life cycle proceeds. Meteorological conditions are important factors in the development of fungal diseases in winter wheat. They are the main inputs of the decision support systems used to forecast disease and thus determine the timing for efficacious fungicide application. Crop protection often relies on preventive fungicide applications, and small grain cereals are systemically protected with two or three foliar treatments. However, environmental concerns and changes in the cost/revenue ratio for winter wheat are likely to increase the demand for more accurate identification of spraying needs. Thus, integrated pest management requires that pesticides only be applied at particular infection stages, and when the pathogen has been correctly identified. This chapter provides an overview of different weather-based disease models developed for assessing in real time the risk of progression of the main fungal diseases like Septoria leaf blotch, Stripe rust, leaf rust and Fusarium head blight of winter wheat in Luxembourg.

Technical Abstract: The first step in the formulation of disease management strategy for any cropping system is to identify the most important risk factors among those on the long list of possible candidates. This is facilitated by basic epidemiological studies of pathogen life cycles, and an understanding of the way in which weather and cropping factors affect the level of initial inoculum and the rate at which progress through the life cycle proceeds. Meteorological conditions are important factors in the development of fungal diseases in winter wheat. They are the main inputs of the decision support systems used to forecast disease and thus determine the timing for efficacious fungicide application. Crop protection often relies on preventive fungicide applications, with small grain cereals typically protected with two or three fungicide treatments. Given the changes in the cost/-revenue ratio for winter wheat and the potential negative impacts that an overuse of fungicide can have on the environment, the accurate identification of fungicide spraying needs becomes unavoidable for a sustainable and environmentally friendly production. Thus, integrated pest management requires that pesticides only be applied at particular infection stages, and when the pathogen has been correctly identified. This chapter provides an overview of different weather-based disease models developed for assessing in real time the risk of progression of the main fungal diseases (Septoria leaf blotch, powdery mildew, leaf rusts and Fusarium head blight) of winter wheat in Luxembourg.