July 17, 2009 * Agriculture and Forestry [to May 2015]At this time, the Department of Agriculture is advising those who grow spring wheat that the crop is prone to fusarium infection in the week following heading. Will Proctor, Innovation Officer with the department, comments that preventative fungicides will reduce, but not control, the amount of infection in the crop. The weather conditions in the next few days will have a large effect on the amount of damaged kernels being harvested. Fusarium head blight in wheat is best recognized by the premature bleaching of part of the head. This may be accompanied by the development of a pink or orange mould on the kernel. The growth of this fungus is promoted by wet weather and warm temperatures when the crop is at a susceptible stage of growth. One per cent is the maximum of fusarium damaged kernels allowed in a sample of Eastern Canada #1 grade wheat. Media Contact: Will Proctor