Fusarium Ear Blight

Gibberella avenacea

Fusarium Ear Blight is one of the four main ear diseases to look for. Part of the ear die and turn white or there is a general black discolouration of the ear.

A range of Fusarium species cause head blight in cereals

Look out for:

Parts of the ear dying and turning white
General discolouration of the ear

Risk Factors:

Wet, warm weather
Delayed harvest

The main symptoms are the death of part of the ear ranging from a single spikelet to a large part of the ear.

Yield losses can be high, often in the order of 15-40%.

The mechanism whereby fusarium species infect the ear isn’t entirely understood but is likely to be due to the direct transfer of spores from crop debris to the ear through a combination of wind and rain.

The disease is favoured by warm, wet weather, especially heavy storms, during flowering.

Economic losses can be severe through a combination of reduced grain size, poor grain quality

Related Pests

Covered Smut - Barley

Ustilago hordei

Covered smut in barley can lead to high yield losses if not controlled by an appropriate seed treatment. Infection takes place from fungal spores present on the outside of the seed. Contamination takes place at harvest through direct spore transfer from infected to healthy seed. Fungal spores germinate at the same time as the seed and can infect the seedling just before emergence, once plants have emerged they cannot be infected. The fungus grows unseen in the plant entering the head once formed at which point it replaces healthy seed with masses of fungal spores. Infected barley heads can be seen within the crop as greyish brown, stunted ears with shrivelled awns.

Loose Smut - Barley

Ustilago tritici

Loose smut of barley is a devastating disease of barley if not controlled by an appropriate seed treatment. Once infected seed is planted the disease infects the young plant and then grows within the plant unseen until it is time for seed to be produced. Loose smut then replaces healthy developing grain with masses of fungal spores. Infected plants tend to grow taller and mature earlier than healthy plants which allows the fungal spores to fall down onto the open florets of healthy plants. These spores then infect the developing grain and both the fungus and the grain stay alive until they are planted the next season.

Loose Smut - Wheat

Ustilago tritici

Loose smut of wheat (Ustilago tritici) is a devastating disease of wheat if not controlled by an appropriate seed treatment. Once infected seed is planted the disease infects the young plant and then grows within the plant unseen until it is time for seed to be produced. Loose smut then replaces healthy developing grain with masses of fungal spores. Infected plants tend to grow taller and mature earlier than healthy plants which allows the fungal spores to fall down onto the open florets of healthy plants. These spores then infect the developing grain and both the fungus and the grain stay alive until they are planted the next season.

Fusarium Ear Blight

Look out for:

Risk Factors:

Recommended Products

Related Pests

Covered Smut - Barley

Ustilago hordei

Loose Smut - Barley

Ustilago tritici

Loose Smut - Wheat

Ustilago tritici

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