Flowering is finishing up across all of Maryland now, except for a few late-planted fields in the northern part of the state that may still be flowering. The FHB risk across the state continues to be high. So, if your wheat is flowering currently or has flowered within the last 4-5 days, you can still spray FHB fungicides. I have started scouting the wheat variety trials for FHB symptoms on the Eastern shore and have already started observing moderate FHB incidences in untreated plots here. The weather conditions have been conducive for FHB this season so far. If you have planted resistant varieties, the situation is expected to be better. Natural infections of leaf rust and stripe rust are also being seen sporadically. I do not expect any major losses due to these two now though. So it's okay not to spray any fungicide specifically for these diseases at this point.

--Nidhi Rawat, Small Grains Pathologist, University of Maryland

The head scab model is currently showing low risk, however this may change with predicted moisture and warm temperatures.

Winter wheat development in Michigan ranges from flag leaf to boot stage, with flowering expected within the next week or two. Overall leaf diseases have been minimal to date, however heavy powdery mildew have been reported in areas of the state. To date stripe rust has not been reported in Michigan, however many fields have wheat streak mosaic virus that can be confused for stripe rust.

Management of head scab should start with selection of varieties with good resistance. To optimize management, fungicides may be warranted. For optimal head scab and DON suppression fungicides should be applied from the beginning of flowering up to 7 days post the beginning of flowering, with recent research demonstrating 4 days post head emergence being optimal for head scab and DON suppression. Fungicides applied for head scab management will also provide protection of the flag leaf.

Winter barley is heading in central Michigan. Fungicides for management of head scab in barley should be applied 4-7 days once heads have fully emerged.

A discussion on managing wheat and barley diseases and head scab can be found as part of our MSU virtual breakfast series https://www.canr.msu.edu/field_crops/virtual-breakfast/

Wheat and barley disease management discussion for 2025 is posted here: https://www.canr.msu.edu/videos/disease-management-in-wheat-and-small-g…

--Martin Chilvers, Associate Professor, Field Crop Pathology, Michigan State University

Wheat in Maryland is mostly either flowering or finishing up flowering. If your wheat is flowering currently, and you have a susceptible or moderately susceptible variety, it is suggested to consider fungicide application for FHB management. The recommended stage for application of fungicides on wheat is at flowering (50 pct of the main tillers showing yellow anthers) or within 4-5 days of that. As I mentioned in my previous forecast, other foliar fungal diseases such as powdery mildew, stripe rust, and leaf rust are also being seen across the state in different counties. If you plan to spray for these diseases, FHB fungicides are still recommended. Strobilurin containing fungicides should not be sprayed at this stage. The fungicides effective for FHB are Miravis-Ace/ Prosaro/ Prosaro-Pro/ Sphaerex. These fungicides do not need to be tank-mixed with another product for spraying. The fungicide products should be applied at the full rate recommended by the manufacturers. However, if it is not flowering yet, it's a good idea to keep a watch on the weather and the FHB risk over the coming days.

--Nidhi Rawat, Small Grains Pathologist, University of Maryland

Scab infection risk is likely to increase this week across the southern portion of PA as a result of increased precipitation chances. If your wheat is approaching flowering, stay alert and consider a fungicide application once flowering has begun. Miravis Ace, Prosaro, Prosaro Pro, and Sphaerex all provide very good scab suppression. The Miravis Ace label allows for earlier application than other fungicides, but best results are still achieved when application is timed after full heading in barley and flowering in wheat. If weather conditions prevent fungicide application at ideal timing, an application as soon as conditions allow will still be quite effective in reducing scab and DON production. Follow labels to determine post-harvest interval constraints for the fungicide you choose. Spray nozzles should be angled at 30 deg down from horizontal, toward the grain heads, using forward- and backward-mounted nozzles or nozzles with a two-directional spray, such as Twinjet nozzles. Add itionally, a fungicide treatment at heading using any of these products will also give you excellent control of most leaf diseases as well.

--Alyssa A. Collins, Associate Professor, Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology, The Pennsylvania State University

Wheat in southern Maryland (Eastern shore and the western side of the bay bridge), is mostly either flowering or finishing up flowering. Incidents of extensive stripe rust have been reported from some fields in St. Mary's County and nearby counties (Courtesy: Mr. Ben Beale). Powdery mildew is also observed in the lower canopy and is moving onto the flag leaf. In addition, leaf rust is also visible in some fields. Remember that the standard FHB fungicides (Miravis-Ace/ Prosaro/ Prosaro-Pro/ Sphaerex) should be applied at this stage, as they are also effective for controlling stripe rust, leaf rust, and powdery mildew. Strobilurin-containing fungicides should not be sprayed at this stage. Even if your wheat is just 4-6 days post-flowering, it is recommended to spray the FHB fungicides. Wheat in the northern part of Maryland is also flowering/ starting to flower now. If you have planted an FHB susceptible variety and it is flowering, you may consider applying FHB fungicides.

--Nidhi Rawat, Small Grains Pathologist, University of Maryland

FHB risk has been high in southern Illinois since Monday. Early-planted and early-maturing wheat varieties in this region are at or near flowering. If susceptible varieties are flowering, a fungicide application may be needed to suppress FHB development. Growers should monitor fields closely and consult the FHB Risk Tool for ongoing updates.

--Boris X Camiletti, Assistant Professor, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

The risk of Fusarium head blight (FHB) has increased due to rains that have occurred over the last few days. Large differences in risk can be observed when choosing "Very Susceptible" to "Moderately Resistant" varieties in the FHB Risk Model. For susceptible varieties, a high risk of FHB can be observed across Kentucky, but for moderately-resistant varieties, the FHB risk is mostly low to medium, with a few spots under high risk. Wheat is generally now beyond the time where a fungicide application can be made (several days past early anthesis at this point in time), except for maybe a few exceptions with later-maturing wheat varieties. It will be important to start monitoring for symptoms of FHB in wheat fields over the next few weeks to determine if adjustments to combine fan speeds should be made, which can help blow out the lightweight "tombstone" kernels, which may have the highest levels of deoxynivalenol (DON; "vomitoxin").

--Dr. Carl A. Bradley, Professor and Extension Specialist, University of Kentucky

Wheat in southern Indian is starting to head out (Feekes 10.1), therefore it is time to monitor FHB risk to make an informed decision if a fungicide application is necessary.

The current and 2 day risk map is showing a medium to high risk (orange/red) for southern Indiana, but as we dry out the 6 day risk goes drops back to low (yellow) for the whole state.

A reminder that if you chose to apply a fungicide the triazole-containing fungicides are best for FHB– see the wheat fungicide efficacy tables for more information at http://doi.org/10.31274/cpn-20190620-031

--Dr. Darcy Telenko, Assistant Professor Extension Specialist, Purdue University

With the predicted showers and thunderstorms for the majority of this week, the weather is expected to be conducive for FHB. Although the FHB risk map currently shows a low risk for head scab, the real risk may escalate in the next few days, especially for the susceptible varieties. Wheat is currently in the flowering stage on the Eastern shore of Maryland, across the state of Maryland. Flowering is when yellow anthers emerge from the wheat spikes. If you have planted a susceptible variety for FHB, you may consider applying FHB fungicides.

If you are planning to apply fungicides for FHB, remember that triazole-containing fungicides (Miravis-Ace, Prosaro, Prosaro-Pro, and Sphaerex) should be used for controlling FHB. They can control other fungal pathogens like powdery mildew, rusts, in addition to scab. Strobilurin-containing fungicides should not be used at this stage. These fungicides do not need to be tank-mixed with another product for spraying. The fungicide products should be applied at the full rate recommended by the manufacturers. Aerial application at a rate of 5 gallons per acre or ground application at 15 gallons per acre with 300-350 um droplet size is recommended. Spray nozzles should be angled at 30-45 deg down from horizontal, toward the grain heads, using forward- and backward-mounted nozzles or nozzles with a two-directional spray, such as Twinjet nozzles.

--Nidhi Rawat, Small Grains Pathologist, University of Maryland

Dry spring weather has been keeping scab risk low up to this point, however, that may be shifting in some areas of PA who have experienced persistent moist conditions since the first of the month. While the risk map is very helpful to determine average risk across large areas, it may not always reflect precise conditions that occur in pockets of wheat production that are not well-represented by weather stations. If your wheat or barley has been experiencing high humidity for a few weeks, consider a fungicide application for scab at early flowering. If you plan to spray for head scab, choose a labeled triazole-containing product (FRAC 3) like Proline, Prosaro, Prosaro Pro, Miravis Ace, or Sphaerex. Do not use a product that contains any strobilurin (FRAC 11).

--Alyssa A. Collins, Associate Professor, Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology, The Pennsylvania State University