“Dry as a bone” aptly describes planting conditions for winter wheat growers across most of Montana and in many areas of the High Plains last fall. And if the lack of soil moisture wasn’t enough, the drought also exacerbated the risk of dry seed decay.

“It’s not uncommon to see dry seed decay in northern Montana, but last season it was widespread throughout the entire winter wheat growing area of the state,” says Jack Riesselman, Ph.D., professor emeritus of plant pathology at Montana State University. “Most of the state didn’t get much more than an inch of rain after June 23, which created perfect conditions for the pathogen.”

Riesselman explains that dry seed decay is caused by soilborne Penicillium, which is common to almost all soils and present throughout the High Plains region. He says the disease occurs when the seed imbibes just enough soil or surface moisture to swell, but not enough to actually germinate. That’s when the Penicillium pathogens attack, causing the seed to decay and breakdown.

“Once you get dry seed decay in a newly seeded field, you begin to run out of options,” he says. “It’s probably too late to replant, which means growers either have to plant spring wheat the following spring or some other warm season crop if conditions are favorable.”

Fortunately, says Riesselman, the majority of Montana wheat producers use a seed-applied fungicide for protection against this disease.

“About 70 to 75 percent of our better winter wheat producers routinely use a seed treatment containing a component for dry seed decay,” he says. ”Our tests have shown that imazalil is the most effective material for preventing dry seed decay of any seed treatment materials on the market.”

Imazalil is one of three systemic active ingredients in Raxil^® MD Extra. Offering protection from the most economically important diseases affecting wheat and barley … including common root rot, dry seed decay, barley stripe and smut … Raxil MD Extra is the only seed-applied fungicide to contain three systemic active ingredients – tebuconazole, metalaxyl and imazalil.

“We strongly encourage our growers to use seed treatments and better than 90 percent of Montana producers use some form of a seed-applied fungicide,” Riesselman concludes. “In an especially dry year, it just makes sense to use the material that’s most effective against dry seed decay.”

Raxil is a registered trademark of Bayer. Always read and follow label directions.