Spraying in full swing for FHB on winter wheat

Spray planes buzzed us regularly during the Bayer CropScience media tour at High Bluff, Man., on June 27. Jon Air’s runway was like Pearson airport with spray planes taking off and landing every couple of minutes. Spraying for fusarium head blight was in full swing. Damp and warm conditions were prime for fusarium infection of the emerged winter wheat heads, and with good wheat prices, farmers were taking action.

You want to apply fusarium fungicides between head emergence and 50 per cent flowering for wheat. Winter wheat plots at the Bayer site were just starting to flower. (See the photo.)

Lauren Davis, Bayer portfolio manager for fungicides and insecticides, took this as an opportunity to explain the differences between Folicur and Proline when it comes to FHB. Folicur is the main product used on cereals. But Proline, while billed primarily for sclerotinia control in canola, is registered for wheat and barley. “It is the best for DON reduction. It cuts DON in half,” says Davis. 

He added that Bayer expects to bring a combination of Folicur and Proline to market, perhaps for 2010. It will be called Prosaro.