DISEASES OF SMALL GRAINS - SCAB (FUSARIUM HEAD BLIGHT)

Kernels infected by the scab fungus are often shrunken and wrinkled compared to non-infected kernels. Kernel infections are of particular concern because F. graminearum produces toxins that can cause a wide range of disorders (including muscle spasms and vomiting) in humans and other animals that consume the grain.

Control of scab is difficult and is most likely to be achieved through the use of crop rotation. A one-year break from wheat production will provide some control. Growing corn immediately after wheat, or wheat immediately after corn, is not advisable because the pathogen can infect both crops. Elimination of corn or wheat debris through burial by plowing can also be an effective control measure. This practice promotes decay of the debris and eliminates sites where the pathogen can overwinter. Because F. graminearum survives best associated with surface debris, use of no-till practices tends to favor development of this disease.