CULTURAL CONTROL METHODS FOR FUSARIUM HEAD BLIGHT

DISEASE

RUFUS AKINRINLOLA

PLANT PATHOLOGY DEPARTMENT

CULTURAL CONTROL METHODS FOR FUSARIUM HEAD BLIGHT DISEASE

Outline

Fusarium Head Blight (FHB)

Wheat crop

Pathogen and disease cycle

Cultural practices

Conclusion

FUSARIUM HEAD BLIGHT (FHB)

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is also called wheat or barley scab

FHB is a global threat to wheat crop production. FHB is an above-ground disease FHB is caused by several species of Fusarium F. graminearum (Gibberella zeae) is most prevalent in United

States FHB destroys wheat head (spikelets) FHB contaminates kernels with mycotoxin (DON)

Yuen and Schoneweis, 2007).

FHB reduces grains yields and quality of economic crop

In the 1990s FHB epidemics affect up to 26 states in United

States

Epidemics was ranked the “worst ever” in the United states

since 1950s

Wheat and barley yield losses close to $8 billion USD

between 1992-1993

Farmers bankruptcies and farm closures

FHB: ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE

Champeil et al, 2004).

Symptoms:

Premature bleaching of floret and spikelet Discolored or shrivel kernels Damaged kernels

Fusarium head blight (FHB)

https://www.plantmanagementnetwork.org

HK FDK

https://pubs.ext.vt.edu

• Most important world cereal grain crop

• Most important world staple food source

• 36 % of the world population depends on wheat as staple food

• Provides 55% of the world carbohydrate.

• Provides 20% of the world calories need.

• Wheat is cultivated over wide range of climatic conditions

WHEAT CROP (TRITICUM SPP)

Economic importance

Safa et al, 2009.

FHB PATHOGEN AND DISEASE CYCLE

FHB species:• F. graminearum, F. culmorum, F. avenaceum, F.

poae and F. triticum Most virulent specie is Fusarium graminearum Infective inocula: ascospores, macroconidia,

chlamydospores and hyphae Primary inoculum is ascospores Wide host range among cereal crops (wheat, barley,

corn and rice) Overwinter in crop residues

Fernandez, et al, 2005, Bai & Shaner, 2004

Secondary spread of spores to healthy plant occurs by wind, rain splash

Conidia

Bleached spikelet

Perithecia

Spores colonize the flowers, seeds and stems

Mycelia residue is retained and survive in mature seeds

Debris of infected dead wheat and seedling remain infected in crop residues

Mycotoxins in FDK seeds

DISEASE CYCLE OF FUSARIUM GRAMINEARUM

causing Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) of Wheat (Triticum spp)

PLPT 802 Rufus Akinrinlola

Precipitation, high humidity and warm temperature (25-28°c) induce spores germination and formation of perithecia on crop residues

Activedischarge of ascospores

Premature spikelet bleaching and infection of seeds occur

Seedborne spores result into seedling blight in young seedling in another growing season

Sexual spore

Asexual formation of conidia

Spores spread from primary inoculum source to wheat plant by wind, rain splash and active discharge

SPRI

NG

Winter

Summer

Fall

Gibberella zeae;Teleomorphic or sexual reproductive form

20-25°COptimum temp

Optimum Moisture 0.2-2.5

CROP ROTATION

SOIL TILLAGE

SOWING DATE

CULTURAL PRACTICES

CULTURAL PRACTICES

• Crop rotation

Factors to consider

Nature/ Susceptibility of the crop

Crop (residues) densities

Crop ( residues) nutritional value

Frequency of crop in rotation

Champeil et al, 2004).

CULTURAL PRACTICES

Rotation crops

Maize , durum wheat, oats

Wheat or barley

Soybean

Flax

100%

0%

FHB

SE

VE

RIT

Y

Champeil et al, 2004).

CULTURAL PRACTICES

Tillage

Limited soil tillage Deep soil tillage or ploughing

http://www.balticdeal.eu/Champeil et al, 2004).

CULTURAL PRACTICES

Sowing date Early sowing date

Late sowing date

www.neon.cornell.edChampeil et al, 2004).

CONCLUSION Fusarium head blight is a global threat to major cereal crops including wheat and

barley

It is predominantly caused by Fusarium graminearum in the United States

It reduces crop yields and grain quality in the hosts crops

It contaminate grains with Fusarium major mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON)

It is favored by high precipitation and humidity

Primary inoculum is ascospores and the disease is polycyclic in nature.

Crop rotation, soil tillage and sowing date management can help to reduce the

incidence

• Bai, G., & Shaner, G. (2004). Management and resistance in wheat and barley to Fusarium head blight 1. Annu. Rev. Phytopathol., 42, 135-161.

• Champeil, A., Dore, T., & Fourbet, J. F. (2004). Fusarium head blight: epidemiological origin of the effects of cultural practices on head blight attacks and the production of mycotoxins by Fusarium in wheat grains. Plant science, 166(6), 1389-1415.

• Fernandez, M. R., Selles, F., Gehl, D., DePauw, R. M., & Zentner, R. P. (2005). Crop production factors associated with Fusarium head blight in spring wheat in eastern Saskatchewan. Crop Science, 45(5), 1908-1916.

• Safa, M., Samarasinghe, S., & Mohssen, M. (2009). Modeling fuel consumption in wheat production using neural networks.

• Yuen, G. Y., & Schoneweis, S. D. (2007). Strategies for managing Fusarium head blight and deoxynivalenol accumulation in wheat. International journal of food microbiology, 119(1), 126-130.

SOURCES

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