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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Crop Bioprotection Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #157973
Title: COOPERATIVE MULTISTATE FIELD TESTS OF BIOLOGICAL AGENTS FOR CONTROL OF FUSARIUM HEAD BLIGHT IN WHEAT AND BARLEY

Author
item YUEN, G - UNIV NEBRASKA, LINCOLN
item JOCHUM, C - UNIV NEBRASKA, LINCOLN
item BLEAKLEY, B - S.DAKOTA UNIV.BROOKINGS
item RUDEN, K - S.DAKOTA UNIV.BROOKINGS
item DRAPER, M - S.DAKOTA UNIV.BROOKINGS
item Schisler, David
item ZHANG, SHOUAN - OHIO STATE U, COLUMBUS
item BOEHM, MICHAEL - OHIO STATE U, COLUMBUS
item LIPPS, P - OHIO STATE U, COLUMBUS
item BERGSTROM, G - CORNELL U, ITHACA, NY

Submitted to: National Fusarium Head Blight Forum
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/15/2003
Publication Date: 12/15/2003
Citation: Yuen, G.Y., Jochum, C.C., Bleakley, B.H., Ruden, K.R., Draper, M., Schisler, D.A., Zhang, S., Boehm, M.J., Lipps, P.E., Bergstrom, G.C. 2003. Cooperative multistate field tests of biological agents for control of fusarium head blight in wheat and barley. In: Proceedings of the National Fusarium Head Blight Forum, December 12-15, 2003, Bloomington, MN. p. 113-115.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Fusarium head blight of wheat is a devastating disease in a large portion of the wheat growing regions of the United States. Microorganism strains are being investigated in several U.S. laboratories as biological control agents against Fusarium head blight (FHB). Crucial to gauging the usefulness of a biocontrol agent is an assessment of its efficacy across the range of field conditions and host genotypes occurring in the different geographic areas in which FHB may be a problem. In 2003, field experiments were conducted in three states to test the efficacy of field proven FHB biocontrol agents Cryptococcus nodaensis OH 182.9 and Bacillus subtilis TrigoCor 1448 and laboratory tested agents Lysobacter enzymogenes C3 and Bacillus sp. 1BA. Biological control agents applied in Nebraska and South Dakota experiments did not affect FHB incidence or severity where FHB was very low. Disease pressure was severe in the Ohio field test where all agents were effective in reducing FHB on the moderately resistant cultivar Freedom with reductions of up to 31% versus the control. No treatments reduced FHB on the susceptible cultivar Pioneer 2545 where disease incidence reached 100%. The Ohio results lend support to the supposition that biological control agents will be most effective against FHB when integrated with host resistance.