Since 1990, the estimated negative impact of head scab (also known as fusarium head blight) has ranged from $50 million-$300 million per year in yield loss. As wheat and barley growers prepare for the upcoming season, prevention of head scab and deoxynivalenol (DON) should be top of mind. Head scab causes and produces the mycotoxin DON, robbing wheat its yield potential and making it unsuitable for future usage. Even a small infection of DON diminishes wheat quality, threatening both yield and profit margins.
“Head scab and DON are sneaky and may go unnoticed until wheat and barley arrives at the grain elevator,” said Alice Harris, BASF Technical Service Representative. “Head scab can have one of the biggest impacts on quality, and, if left untreated, grain infected with DON will be rejected or docked at the point of sale. This can cost growers $0.25-$2.00 per bushel.”
The presence of scab doesn’t automatically mean that DON exists within the field, but growers should be aware that DON levels can be high even when disease is low. Preventive action is imperative to protecting profit because, like many diseases, it may be too late once DON is visible in your fields. Fortunately, there are methods for growers that have been shown to prevent or control head scab and help lower DON levels:
- Plant a seed variety that’s resistant to head scab
- Use tillage practices that bury crop residue or spread chaff; alternatively, minimum or no-till farmers can chop or grind residue
- Rotate crops to decrease inoculant pressure
- Apply a powerful fungicide at the early flowering stage for wheat
- For barley, apply a fungicide at full head emergence
Say ‘goodbye’ to disease when growers use a powerful fungicide
Wheat is most susceptible to scab once flowering starts and then it can begin to spread. Fungicide application timing is crucial, especially when it comes to head scab and DON conditions. When applying a wheat and barley fungicide like Sphaerex™ fungicide from BASF, head scab conditions can be managed when sprayed at the label’s recommended time for grower’s operations.
“Metconazole and prothioconazole are the proven active ingredients in Sphaerex fungicide,” said Harris. “These two ingredients help prevent fusarium head blight when sprayed at the beginning of the wheat flowering stage or during the full flowering window. With the threshold limit for DON being as low as it is, preventive applications at the right time are key for that peace of mind.”
Sphaerex fungicide contains broad-spectrum protection against many late-season diseases, protecting growers’ yield potential. Growers work hard to have the most valuable wheat each season. Help growers preserve yield potential and wheat quality while maximizing profit by incorporating Sphaerex fungicide into their disease management plan.
For more information on Sphaerex fungicide or how to manage DON and head scab, talk to your local BASF representative or visit super-sphaerex.com.
Always read and follow label directions. Sphaerex is a registered trademark of BASF.
