Fusarium head blight (FHB) or head scab of wheat can cause significant yield loss, and damaged grain is often contaminated with the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON), commonly known as vomitoxin. The disease is best managed through a combination of variety resistance and timely applications of fungicides when weather conditions elevate the risk of disease development. In recent years, there has been considerable effort to predict the risk of FHB and the need for fungicide applications in wheat.
Web-based prediction tools (http://www.wheatscab.psu.edu/riskTool_2010.html) provide daily estimates of disease risk for 25 states east of the Rocky Mountains. This multi-state effort requires considerable resources to maintain, and scientists involved in the project would like to gather some input to justify continued investment of time, computing resources and funds needed to sustain the effort. If you have used the prediction tools, please take a few minutes to complete the on-line survey. Your feedback can help researchers evaluate, improve and maintain the system.The link to the survey is: http://www.hostedsurvey.com/takesurvey.asp?c=2010Us121326
The preceding information was provided by Pierce Paul, Ohio State University plant pathologist.
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