MANAGING FHB THROUGH INTEGRATED PRACTICES, BIOLOGICAL CONTROL AGENTS, AND WITHIN-FIELD INOCULUM SOURCES

Project Title 1 - Uniform Biocontrol Agent Test for Control of Fusarium Head Blight and Deoxynivalenol: The proposal for the 2008-2009 season is to continue participation in the Uniform Biological Control Agent Trial. Two winter wheat varieties of varying susceptibility to FHB were planted during the fall of 2008 so that applications of biologicals can be made during the 2009 growing season. Project Title 2 - Integrated Management of Fusarium Head Blight and Deoxynivalenol across Multiple Locations and Small Grain Classes: As a result of a workshop sponsored by the Chemical, Biological and Cultural Control Research Area in 2006, a protocol for a multi-state project focusing on integrated management strategies for FHB was developed. The research portion of this project would involve multi-state trials evaluating crop sequence, variety selection and fungicide application as an integrated management program for FHB. Timely dissemination of the research results is also a priority of this project. Project Title 3 - Within-Field Inoculum from Corn Debris and the Management of FHB/DON: Our experimental objective is to quantify the relative contribution of within-field corn debris as an inoculum source of Gibberella zeae for Fusarium head blight and DON contamination in 20 variable wheat or barley environments over two years, all in regions where corn is the predominant crop in the agricultural landscape and corn debris is left on the land surface over large areas. Specifically we will (1) elucidate the contribution of local inoculum sources to the temporal and spatial development of FHB epidemics, and this knowledge will, in turn, (2) help refine models for FHB risk assessment.