St. Paul, MN -- More than 140 scientists from around the world
will meet at the Sheraton Midway Hotel in St. Paul, Minnesota,
November 10-13, for the First National Fusarium Head Blight Forum.
Scab, as this fungal disease is commonly called, is responsible
for an increasing annual devastation of wheat and barley crops
across the United States and Canada. During 1996, scab epidemics
occurred in Arkansas, Louisiana, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin,
Michigan, New York, and Ontario. Ohio wheat producers lost an
estimated $100 million due to reduced yields, lower prices received
for remaining bushels and the added cost of grain cleaning. Wheat
producers in Illinois and Indiana estimated losses at about $38
million, while Michigan reported losses of $56 million.
"Damage from head scab is multifold," according to Roger
Jones, plant pathologist, at the University of Minnesota. "We
see a reduction in yield, discolored, shriveled 'tombstone' kernels,
contamination with mycotoxins (toxins produced by fungi which
affect people and animals), and a reduction in seed quality. The
disease also reduces test weight and lowers market grade."
In the December issue of Plant Disease (in press), an international
journal of applied plant pathology, Jones and colleagues Marcia
McMullen, North Dakota State University, and Dale Gallenberg,
South Dakota State University, detail the specifics of the scab
epidemics and world-wide cooperative efforts to develop effective
management techniques for limiting disease losses and mycotoxin
formation, including breeding for resistance, crop rotation, and
the development of biological control agents.
Weather plays an important role in the development of scab; however, disease susceptible grain cultivars, higher proportions of minimum tillage, high percentages of cultivated acres planted to susceptible host crops, and short rotation intervals between crops compound the problem. Scientists, including plant pathologists, agronomists, and plant breeders, attending this meeting hope to share research results and reinforce cooperative efforts to reduce the damage from this disease. Our future food and some beverage supplies could be severely limited by it.
The 5,000 members of APS are devoted to plant health management in agricultural, urban and forest settings. Members are located worldwide. For more information, access the Society's home page on the Internet: http://www.scisoc.org/
NOTE TO MEDIA: You are especially invited to attend the reception and poster session on Monday evening at 5:30 in the Sheraton Midway Ballroom. Please contact Cindy Ash or Jean Rice at 612-454-7250, for complimentary passes.
Media Advisory: If you would like to receive copies of all news releases issued by APS, please send an e-mail to kkoegler@scisoc.org.