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Randy Clear
- Canadian Grain Commission |
| Farmscape for October 7, 2002 (Episode 1086)
The Canadian Grain Commission reports crop damage caused by fusarium graminearum appears lower than usual and remains concentrated in Manitoba and Southeastern Saskatchewan.
Fusarium head blight is a fungal infection that attacks a variety of crops.
Fusarium graminearum produces a toxin which is of particular concern to swine producers.
Canadian Grain Commission Mycologist Randy Clear says damage this year from fusarium graminearum appears lower.
Clip-Randy Clear-Canadian Grain Commission
In Manitoba and Eastern Saskatchewan the incidence of fusarium damaged kernels in the wheat is not that different from previous years, last year for example, but the severity is certainly down quite a bit from what we found last year.
As we go west, an area traditionally of very little fusarium damaged kernels in the wheat, we have been finding some more, particularly in the southern parts of Saskatchewan and parts of central Saskatchewan.
Our studies here to identify the species causing those fusarium damaged kernels indicate that it's primarily a couple of fusarium species that are already fairly common in that area.
Fusarium graminearum is certainly still found only commonly in Manitoba and Eastern Saskatchewan.
There's still very little FDK in the western prairies.
We have seen a bit more this year than in the past.
Fortunately it seems most of it's being caused by a common fusarium species to that area.
Clear says, with lower fusarium damage levels in the wheat it's expected toxicity levels won't be as high but weathering is a factor that can increase toxin levels.
He says fusarium damaged kernels in wheat are quite evident and can provide an indication of which samples should tested for toxicity but with barley...testing is the only way to know if a sample is suitable for livestock.
For Farmscape.Ca, I'm Bruce Cochrane.
*Farmscape is a presentation of Sask Pork and Manitoba Pork Council |
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© Wonderworks Canada
2002 |
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