Farmers taking part in the Durum Summit 2018 in Swift Current, SK were reminded to use a multi-pronged approach when trying to deal with Fusarium Head Blight disease.

Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) is a fungal disease that develops in warm, moist conditions at flowering and can affect durum, wheat, other cereals and some grasses.

Dr. Ron Knox with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada says it’s important to have a multi-pronged approach in dealing with FHB, adding it all starts with using disease-free seed.

"So no one mechanism will control this disease," he says. "But if you apply enough of these mechanisms then it will then it will help reduce the disease."

Dr. Ron Knox speaking at the sold out Durum Summit in Swift Current

When applying fungicides, he recommends using a forward angled nozzle with a medium droplet size at 10 gallons per acre volume which optimizes the quantity of fungicide on the spike while travelling at a slower speed.

Knox says when selecting your seed look for a disease-free seed that shows good disease resistance.

He notes then you build a management strategy around that, such as lengthening crop rotation to reduce the amount of inoculum in the soil before you go back to cereal.

"Have staggered planting so your're not exposing your crop all at the same time to the same weather conditions," he says. "It also helps in terms of spraying; you can spread out that window if you up your seeing rates, then you get more uniformity."

He adds look at applying fungicides if disease conditions are looking favourable at the time of flowering.