Wooster, Ohio
May 8, 2007
A new fungicide has been
introduced this season to help Ohio wheat growers in their fight
against diseases.
Proline from Bayer
CropScience has shown to be effective against diseases such
as Stagonospora leaf/glume blotch, Septoria leaf blotch, tan
spot and leaf rust. Proline joins six other fungicides made
available to Ohio growers to control foliar diseases. They
include Tilt, PropiMax, Headline, Quadris, Stratego and Quilt.
“Proline does very well in terms of controlling Stagonospora and
leaf rust, two of the more problematic diseases in Ohio. We are
testing it in trials this year to see how well it works against
powdery mildew,” said Pierce Paul, an Ohio State University
plant pathologist with the Ohio Agricultural Research and
Development Center. “As with other fungicide use, growers should
scout fields first and then apply fungicide only when it’s
warranted.”
Paul said that growers might be especially interested in Proline
because of its effect against head scab, a serious wheat disease
that attacks the plant during flowering under favorable moist
conditions. The disease infects the wheat heads, causing
shrunken, lightweight kernels, thereby reducing the quality and
feeding value of the grain. The fungus that causes the disease
also produces a chemical in the infected grain called vomitoxin
that is toxic to livestock and humans.
“To date, Proline is the best fungicide we have for head scab
control,” said Paul, who also holds a partial
Ohio State University Extension
appointment. “But, despite its effectiveness, the important
thing that growers need to keep in mind is that the fungicide
doesn’t cure scab and doesn’t guarantee 100 percent control.
Proline suppresses head scab, but it’s not going to prevent it
from occurring.”
Paul said that the best results with Proline are observed when
it is used in conjunction with variety resistance and when it is
applied at flowering, using the correct nozzle setting. Growers
should use the Fusarium Head Blight Prediction Center -- a
Web-based forecasting model that predicts the level of head scab
risk -- to aid fungicide decision-making for head scab control.
The site can be accessed through
http://www.wheatscab.psu.edu. The system is a joint project
between Ohio State University Extension, Penn State University,
Purdue University, North Dakota State University, South Dakota
State University, and the U.S. Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative.
“If there ever was a time to use the head scab model, the 2007
growing season would be it. If growers choose to apply Proline
to their wheat to control head scab, they need to use the model
as a guide,” said Paul. “Unlike other foliar diseases where you
use visual symptoms as a threshold for fungicide application,
you apply fungicides to protect the wheat heads against head
scab during a time when there is no disease present on the
plant.”
Growers using the head scab model will see new additions to the
site, including risk predictions based on 24 to 48 hours of
forecasted weather, and commentary on the state of the wheat
crop to help in fungicide decision-making.
Ohio’s wheat crop is anticipated to begin flowering by the end
of May or first week of June depending on planting date and
variety planted.
For more information on Proline or other wheat fungicides, or to
learn more about wheat management, refer to the Ohio State
Agronomic Crops Team Web site at
http://agcrops.osu.edu.
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