Fusarium Head Blight Update

Update posted 5/4/2022

Wheat in the Eastern Shore of Maryland will be flowering (50% of the main tillers showing yellow anthers) in a couple of days. Although the weather has been wet since the weekend, the temperatures are rather low for FHB development. Therefore, the epidemiological models are predicting low risk currently and for the next 4-6 days. However, with more rains coming, growers are advised to keep a close eye on the FHB risk over the coming days. In case the risk escalates, the recommended head scab fungicides are Prosaro/ Caramba/ Miravis-Ace/ at wheat flowering or within 4-5 days afterward. Strobilurin containing fungicides should not be sprayed at this stage. In the northern counties, wheat is booting, and still roughly around 1-2 weeks away from flowering.