Assessment of fungicides for control of Fusarium head blight of winter barley in Georgetown, DE, 2024

Abstract

Fusarium head blight (FHB), caused mainly by Fusarium graminearum, is a serious disease affecting barley (Hordeum vulgare) worldwide. It leads to bleached heads and shriveled grain contaminated with mycotoxins, resulting in reduced yield and grain quality. This report assesses the effectiveness of fungicides for controlling FHB in winter malting barley cultivar ‘Avalon’ in Georgetown, Delaware, during 2024. All treatments were evaluated for disease incidence and severity, Fusarium-damaged kernels, yield, and deoxynivalenol concentrations. Findings from these trials will support U.S. barley growers in developing effective disease management strategies and are expected to help reduce yield losses and mycotoxin contamination in malting barley.