SAES-422 Multistate Research Activity Accomplishments Report
Sections
Status: Approved
Basic Information
- Project No. and Title: NCERA_old184 : Management of Small Grain Diseases
- Period Covered: 10/01/2014 to 09/01/2015
- Date of Report: 04/12/2016
- Annual Meeting Dates: 03/07/2016 to 03/07/2016
Participants
Andrew Friskop, North Dakota State University Nathan Kleczewski, University of Delaware Forrest Nutter, Iowa State University Damon Smith, University of Wisconsin Martin Nagelkirk, Michigan State University Terry Spurlock, University of Arkansas Shaukat Ali, South Dakota State University Heather Kelly, University of Tennessee Carl Bradley, University of Kentucky Tom Allen, University of Mississippi Clayton Hollier, Louisiana State University Paul (Trey) Price, Louisiana State University Bob Hunger, Oklahoma State University Erick DeWolf, Kansas State University Laura Sweets, University of Missouri Bill Bockus, Kansas State University Kiersten Wise, Purdue University Pierce Paul, The Ohio State University Hillary Mehl, Virginia Tech University Scott Isard, Penn State University
Accomplishments
The objectives of NCERA 184 are to:
Short-term Outcomes:
- 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 grain pathogens f) Develop disease and economic threshold models to improve foliar disease management in wheat g) Surveillance and preparation for stem rust race Ug99 and other diseases of high consequence.
- 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. The efforts of the committee in 2012 can be seen through a combination of outcomes, outputs, and other activities that integrated our two core objectives. Short term outcomes include: (1) improved understanding of the integrated use of rotation, cultivar resistance, and foliar fungicides for control of Fusarium head blight and deoxynivalenol; (2) new working knowledge on fungicide application methods for optimum efficacy for diseases such as stem rust; (3) an improved awareness and understanding of the research conducted on the potentially threatening disease wheat blast (3) a coordinated effort to continue to improve our knowledge of the efficacy of foliar fungicides for control of foliar diseases - this provides growers the most unbiased piece of information regarding expected control throughout the US; (4) a high level of communication amongst the members of NCERA-184 to provide real-time knowledge of diseases affecting wheat across the production region - in particular, there is a high level of communication for rust and Fusarium head blight as well as electronic methods to disseminate this information; (5) the members of NCERA-184 provide samples to the USDA to improve our knowledge of the race and virulence determinants of the different rust diseases.
Outputs:
(1) there are numerous refereed and extension-oriented publications involving members of
NCERA-184 (see publications list); (2) Foliar fungicide efficacy table that is updated annually based on observations and data obtained from coordinated and individual trials across the small grain production region; (3) ScabSmart, a web-based tool to provide information about Fusarium head blight in wheat and barley updated annually; (4) the U.S. Wheat & Barley Scab Initiative Fusarium Head Blight Prediction Center, a web-based platform that provides risk maps and commentary regarding the likelihood that Fusarium head blight will occur; (5) a reporting system for rust diseases of small grains, coordinated by the USDA Cereal Disease Laboratory; (6) high use of email listservs amongst members of NCERA-184 to improve real-time communication to improve within-growing season knowledge of small grain diseases.
Activities: (1) Coordination of a national survey through the U.S. Wheat & Barley Scab Initiative to understand producer awareness, attitudes, and management programs for Fusarium Head Blight; (2) annual updates of the foliar fungicide efficacy table based on working knowledge and field research trials, including several coordinated fungicide trials; (3) coordinated field trials for fungicides and biological control agents for the management of Fusarium head blight; (4) coordinated efforts to provide within growing season knowledge about the risk of Fusarium head blight.
Impacts
- 1. The wheat fungicide efficacy table provides those involved with small grain production an unbiased source of information on fungicide efficacy and utility, allowing for appropriate selection of chemical materials for managing diseases during the growing season. This document is shared by extension plant pathologists across the United States with clientele including growers, industry, and other professionals in agriculture. Members of NCERA-184 share this document in multiple venues including face-to-face meetings and crop schools, printed factsheets and books, as well as online on blogs, webpages, and email. We estimate that our efforts have resulted in this documented being shared with over 20,000 through face to face meetings. We estimate electronic viewership exceeds 250,000.
- 2. The group has developed a series of email based listserves to communicate disease progress, potential disease outbreaks, and assist with difficult in-field diagnostic questions. These listserves include the wheat disease listserv (wheatdisease@listserv.ksu.edu) and the cereal rust survey listserv (cereal-rustsurvey@ lists.umn.edu).
- 3. Collaborative research efforts by the NCERA 184 members have shown that the best control of Fusarium head blight (FHB) is achieved through integrated management practices, and that fungicide applications can be made up to 5 days after the start of flowering and remain efficacious. This information has been used in Extension programs across several states, and growers are adopting these practices to reduce FHB and associated contamination of grain with DON.
- 4. A multi-state Fusarium head blight disease forecasting system has promoted better stewardship of foliar fungicide applications by providing growers with information that can be used to help make fungicide application decisions based on the threat of disease. This web site was visited over 10,000 times (April-August) when wheat was actively growing in 30 states. The estimated net value of the disease prediction system to U.S. wheat growers exceeds $47 million.
- 5. Small grain disease surveys conducted in many of the NCERA 184 member states provided information on disease occurrence, distribution, and potential effects on yield and quality.
- 6. Due to collaborative efforts of NCERA 184 members, new outreach materials are being developed to educate the public about important diseases and overall disease management for small grains. These include new barley disease management guideline that is currently under development by members of the group.