Fusarium crown rot (foot rot) Caused by Fusarium spp. –Same fungus that causes scab Hosts include wheat, barley, oats, corn, grasses

Fusarium crown rot history Ubiquitous; probably present in the original prairie soil infecting native grassesUbiquitous; probably present in the original prairie soil infecting native grasses Early 1900s H.L. Bolley “wheat-sick soil”Early 1900s H.L. Bolley “wheat-sick soil” –Campaign across ND to use good seed and practice rotation –Posters in store windows

Yield loss from Fusarium crown rot Long-term annual estimates of yield loss in Saskatchewan and Manitoba –5-6% spring wheat –11% barley North Dakota estimates were similar, 9.5% yield loss for durham

Fusarium crown rot trials Huntley, 2005 Yield (bu/a) % Yield Variety w/o Fusariumw/ Fusarium reduction Alsen Choteau Explorer Hank ** Knudson McNeal MTO NorPro Outlook Reeder ** An outlier was removed. If included, % yield reduction would be 11.7%

Fusarium crown rot trials Huntley, 2005 Durham wheat Yield (bu/a) % Yield Variety w/o Fusariumw/ Fusarium reduction AC Avonlea Ben Kyle Lebsock Maier Monroe Mountrail Utopia Vic Ward ** An outlier was removed. If included, % yield reduction would be 11.7%

Future: Fusarium crown rot control Seed treatment Late seeding Don’t over-fertilize Crop rotation to non-host: DON’T PLANT CORN!!! Plant tolerant varieties

Fusarium crown rot (foot rot) Caused by Fusarium spp. –Same fungi that cause scab F. graminearum, F. culmorum, F. pseudograminearum Hosts include wheat, barley, oats, corn, grasses Residue-borne Seed-borne Stress