A national group of plant pathologists, including Carl Bradley from the University of Kentucky, is presenting a webinar to help U.S. wheat producers get a jumpstart on their management strategies for controlling Fusarium head blight.

Fusarium head blight, also known as “head scab,” is one of the most destructive diseases of wheat and an annual concern for growers. The disease can lower yields and tests weights, but the larger, system-wide concern is that the fungus that causes head scab also produces a mycotoxin, deoxynivalenol, known as DON, that can contaminate grain. Because DON is harmful to humans and animals, grain elevators regularly test for it. Grain containing high levels of DON may be highly discounted or outright rejected, which causes a major economic strain to farmers with affected fields.

“These webinars will provide the most up-to-date research findings about management of Fusarium head blight,” said Bradley, a faculty member in the UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. “Anyone that has an interest in learning about managing this important disease, including farmers, crop consultants and industry representatives, should sign up for these free webinars.”

During the two-part American Society of Agronomy webinar series, Bradley, Pierce Paul, plant pathologist at The Ohio State University, and Christina Cowger, plant pathologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture Research Service, will discuss cultural practices, resistant varieties and fungicides that play a part in effective Fusarium head blight management. The USDA-ARS U.S. Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative, which is sponsoring these webinars, funded much of the research that the scientists will present.

The webinars are at 11 a.m. CST on Monday Feb. 11 and Monday Feb. 18. Anyone can register for the free webinars at https://tinyurl.com/ycmvel4p.