Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

The objectives of NCERA 184 are to: 1. Facilitate collaborative research on current and emerging diseases of small grains. Specifically: a) The integrated management of Fusarium head blight b) Fungicide efficacy trials for diseases of small grains c) Epidemiology and risk management d) Screening of uniform regional nurseries for resistance to economically important pathogens e) Studies of the population biology of small grains' pathogens 2. Promote the exchange of information, techniques, fungicide efficacy results, disease resistant germplasm and pathogen cultures among small grains researchers in order to coordinate the development of integrated management strategies for important diseases. Accomplishments for Objective 1. Facilitate collaborative research on current and emerging diseases of small grains a. Integrated Management of Fusarium head blight (FHB). Several members of NCERA 184 have been conducting FHB integrated management field research trials as part of a multi-state led by Pierce Paul (Ohio St. Univ.) and supported by the U.S. Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative (USWBSI). Results from these trials have been used in Extension programming across the U.S., and are being utilized for the development of a ScabSmart website supported by USWBSI. b. Fungicide Efficacy Trials for Diseases of Small Grains. A Foliar Fungicide Efficacy Table has been developed and updated annually by NCERA 184 members for the past several years. Results from foliar fungicide trials conducted by NCERA 184 members and others are utilized to develop this table. The table has been widely-used by Extension specialists, crop consultants, industry personnel, and growers throughout the U.S., especially areas east of the Rocky Mountains. c. Epidemiology and Risk Management. NCERA 184 members coordinated the national level deployment of disease prediction models for Fusarium head blight (hosted at: www.wheatscab.psu.edu). This effort allows cooperators in 24 states east of the Rocky Mountains. Specialists in each of these states have the opportunity to provide text commentary about disease observations in the state and to help provide additional information about their states risk of FHB based on the prediction output. The FHB prediction centers website receives thousands of visits every year with peaks prior to and during flowering of small grain crops in each state. Erick de Wolf (Kansas St. Univ.) is leading a stem rust surveillance effort, in which several NCERA 208 members are cooperating. One of the goals of this effort is to help detect for the presence of the TTKS race of stem rust, which is an international threat to wheat. Members of NCERA 208 also are cooperating in developing educational material about TTKS stem rust and other rust diseases of wheat. Additionally, NCERA 184 members submit rust observations during the season to the Cereal Rust Bulletin and list-serve. These specific state observations alert other states on their individual states risk of rust diseases and provide information on when and where rust could arrive in a state. d. Screening of Uniform Regional Nurseries for Resistance to Economically Important Pathogens. NCERA 184 members shared their latest research results on resistance of wheat cultivars and lines in coordinated regional nurseries to Fusarium head blight, Septoria tritici blotch, Stagonospora nodorum blotch, tan spot, stripe rust, leaf rust, stem rust, and several viral diseases. This shared information on varietal reaction is incorporated consistently into regional and state extension recommendations. e. Studies of the Population Biology of Small Grains Pathogens. NCERA 184 members collected and submitted samples of the major rust pathogens of the small grains (e.g. leaf, stem and stripe rusts of wheat, crown rust of oats, etc.) to collaborating USDA-ARS scientists (Y. Jin, J. Kolmer, and X. Chen) for race and virulence determination. This project allows continual monitoring of the population/virulence structure of cereal rusts in North America and provides critical guidance to small grains breeding programs. Accomplishments for Objective 2. Promote the exchange of information, techniques, fungicide efficacy results, disease-resistant germplasm, and pathogen cultures among small grain researchers in order to coordinate the development of integrated management strategies for important small grain diseases. A wheat disease listserve (wheatdisease@listerv.ksu.edu) has been established and is hosted at Kansas State University. Subscribers to the listserve include NCERA 184 committee members as well as other university, extension, and government personnel that work on small grain diseases. This listserve serves as an electronic forum in which NCERA 184 members can communicate throughout the year. Participants at the May 2009 meeting were able to interact with small grain workers from across the nation, as both the Eastern Wheat Workers and Southern Small Grains Workers met in conjunction with the NCERA 184 meeting. This provided the opportunity for members to learn about and discuss ongoing regional disease issues. Many members from NCERA 184 developed grant proposals and collaborated in research grants funded by the U. S. Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative (USWBSI). Multi-state projects include Coordinated Uniform Fungicide Research Trials to control Fusarium head blight (FHB) and Integrated Management Research Trials to control FHB. Additionally, NCERA 184 members from Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Illinois developed a new grant proposal, Improving disease management in wheat through novel disease and economic threshold models, funded by the USDA-CSREES North Central Regional Integrated Pest Management Program.