Abstract
Fusarium head blight (FHB or scab) economically devastates barley production. FHB is predominantly caused by Fusarium graminearum and has resulted in major reductions in the quality of barley in the United States. The most common source of economic loss is through development of potent mycotoxins in the grain, the most prominent of which, in the United States, is deoxynivalenol (DON). DON levels can be managed through a variety of techniques. This study presents the estimate of the statistical relationship among DON contamination in barley, FHB incidence and severity, and a variety of disease management techniques. Data from 22 field studies and a survey of barley producers are used to estimate the relationship. Fungicide applications reduce DON in barley in general and via complementary interactions with the barley cultivar. Genetic FHB resistance in barley varieties is an important determinant of DON levels, as well as previous crop and factors related to time and location. Taking care to avoid rotations with FHB host crops immediately prior to barley is also important to reduce DON levels in barley. These become key inputs into barley producer decisions for evaluating the economic value of adopting FHB management techniques.
Highlights
Fusarium head blight (FHB or scab), primarily caused by infestation of Fusarium graminearum, is one of the most important small grain diseases in the United States
These results suggested that the barley producers should consider benchmark fungicide with scab (FHB) present at the time of a fungicide application as a factor for expected DON
Statistical relationships were estimated between barley DON contamination, the level of FHB, and use of disease management techniques including fungicide applications, cultivar choice, and cultivar resistance
Summary
Fusarium head blight (FHB or scab), primarily caused by infestation of Fusarium graminearum, is one of the most important small grain diseases in the United States. Contamination of the grain by mycotoxins, caused by the pathogen, reduces grain quality [1]. Yield reductions in barley are often not as severe as in wheat. This is often explained by resistance in spring barley where the pathogen does not spread vertically within the grain spike. The greatest economic consequence in barley from FHB occurs when malt quality standards are not met due to the accumulation of mycotoxins, especially deoxynivalenol (DON). The amount of DON in barley can often be higher than would be expected for an equivalent level of FHB in wheat, because of the retention of the lemma and palea which is floret tissue that remains attached to the barley kernel in the harvesting and malting process [3]. An elevated amount of Agriculture 2019, 9, 155; doi:10.3390/agriculture9070155 www.mdpi.com/journal/agriculture
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