Fusarium head blight: Recent epidemics and research efforts in the upper Midwest of the United States
1997
Dill-Macky, R. (Minnesota Univ. St. Paul, MN (USA). Dept. of Plant pathology)
Fusarium head blight (FHB) of wheat and barley has become a major problem in the eastern and midwestern United States. Epidemics have caused extensive damage to wheat and barley crops in four successive years, resulting in devasting losses to producers. Wet weather throughout the growing season, particularly at and after anthesis, has undoubtedly contributed to the escalation of FHB. Changes in wheat cultivars and conservation tillage practices may also have contributed to increased disease levels. In Minnesota, a large collaborative research effort was initiated in 1994 to address issues arising from the recent FHB epidemics. These research programs are focused primarely on breeding for disease resistance, and every effort being made to expedite the releases of wheat and barley cultivars with improved resistance. Progress is being made in transferring resistance from Chinese and Japanese wheats to adapted germplasm. Resistance derived from the barley cultivar Chevron has been located in some advanced barley lines in the Minnesota barley breeding program. In addition to breeding efforts, a range of other research activities have been initiated, including studies on the use of chemicals to prevent FHB development and examination of how cultural practices may be used to reduce Fusarium Inoculum.
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