North Dakota farmers face a potential crop threat this summer due to favorable conditions for diseases like head scab and DON (vomitoxin). Heavy snowfall and dry periods, combined with delayed planting, create ideal conditions for head scab development in later-planted crops.
Head scab, known to severely impact wheat and barley crops, poses significant challenges for farmers. The disease takes hold during flowering, and with the current moist conditions, the risk of infection is high. Severe cases of head scab can result in yield losses ranging from 30 to 50 percent, while even moderate outbreaks can lead to a loss of 10 bushels per acre.
The head scab often leads to the presence of DON, a mycotoxin that can result in substantial price reductions when present in harvested grain.
To counter the threat of head scab this growing season, farmers in North Dakota are turning to Sphaerex, a new product introduced by BASF in 2021. Sphaerex offers a powerful combination of two highly effective active ingredients in the market—metconazole and prothioconazole. This unique blend provides excellent control of wheat head scab and significantly reduces the occurrence of DON, which is crucial for maintaining the quality of malting barley.
Sphaerex stands out as an exceptional product due to its flexibility and ease of use. It is recommended to apply Sphaerex during the early flowering stage (Feekes 10.5.1) in wheat and at full heading (Feekes 10.5) in barley, ensuring optimal protection against head scab.
As North Dakota farmers are facing the possibility of severe head scab outbreaks this season. Fortunately, the introduction of Sphaerex brings hope as a promising solution. This innovative product has been proven to effectively reduce the impact of head scab and DON, protecting crops and ensuring high yields for farmers.
Photo Credit: istock-rustic
Categories: North Dakota, Crops, Wheat