Home
Master Gardener Articles
Newsletter
Plant Diseases
Vines
Garden Pest
Flowering Shrubs
Waterfall Gardens
Invasive Plants
Raised Garden Beds
Flowering Trees
Lynne's Gardening Tips
Perennial Flowers
Plant Hardiness Zones
Great Plants & FLowers
Lily Gardens
Odd & Strange Plants
Flower Seeds
Weed Control
Ferns
Butterfly Gardens
Container Gardening
English Gardens
Flower Bulbs
Flower Fertilizers
Links
Garden Bridges
Garden Carts
Garden Fountains
Garden Furniture
Garden Pond
Garden Sheds
Herb Gardens
Greenhouses
Pest Control
Hummingbird Gardens
Hydroponics Gardening
Japanese Gardening
Organic Gardening
Orchids
Annuals Flowers
Wildflowers
Rose Gardening
Tulip Gardens
Composting
Water Gardens
Cactus Gardens
Garden Tools
Lilacs
Irises
House Plants
Shade Gardens
Violets
Wildflower Types
Wildflower Seeds
Ground Cover
Rock Gardens
Garden Statues
Gardening Products
Flower Pots
Garden Arbors
Camellias
Rubber Mulch
Wisteria
Peat Moss
Soil pH
Virtual Rocks
Mosquitoes
Crape Myrtles
Intro to Plant Disease
Contacts Page
MultiBloom
OMRI

Fusarium head blight


Fusarium head blight is one of the most devastating plant diseases in the world. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) ranks FHB as the worst plant disease to hit the US since the rust epidemics in the 1950s. Since 1990, wheat and barley farmers in the United States have lost over $3 billion dollars due to FHB epidemics.

Many fear that the disease will continue to be the cause of major crop losses in the United States and beyond, with the potential to put a major dent in the world's food supply during the years to come.

The first symptoms of Fusarium head blight occur shortly after flowering. Diseased spikelets exhibit premature bleaching as the pathogen progresses within the head. One or more spikelets located in the top, middle, or bottom of the head may be bleached. Over time, the premature bleaching of the spikelets may progress throughout the entire head.

The major toxin produced by F. graminearum in association with FHB in wheat and barley is deoxynivalenol (DON). DON is sometimes called vomitoxin because of its deleterious effects on the digestive system of swine and other monogastric animals. Humans consuming flour made from wheat contaminated with DON will often demonstrate symptoms of nausea, fever, headaches, and vomiting.

If you suspect a Fusarium head blight problem contact a local County Extension Agent or local Master Gardener for advice.