Annual Progress Report on Malting Barley Research March, 2007

much of North Dakota in 2006, few fields were detected with diseases. A total of 105 fields
were sampled. This was less than half of the number sampled in 2005 because the area of
barley sown in 2006 was significantly less than in previous years and disease was low so
that finding crops to survey took much more of the scout’s time.
Scouts examined 10 plants in five locations per field, sampling in a W pattern. Information
collected at each site included district, county, field location, GPS location, growth stage,
previous crop, and incidence and severity of major diseases and insects. Data were
recorded on hand held iPAQ computers equipped with an Excel spreadsheet. Information
was forwarded at the end of each week to NDSU at Fargo. Data were mapped using ARC-
INFO GIS software, and on Monday mornings reports were uploaded to the web at
http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/aginfo/ndipm/. Extension staff, consultants, farmers and the
general public are able to view the site immediately. On an accompanying web page Dr
McMullen summarizes and interprets the information contained in the disease maps. An
example of part of the June 19-23 pest report by Dr McMullen follows,
“WHEAT AND BARLEY DISEASE OBSERVATIONS, June 19-23
……. NDSU IPM’s summer field scouts surveyed ….. 11 barley fields during the week of
June 19-23. The average growth stage of these crops during that week was Zadoks 40 =
the boot stage, with a wide range of growth stages, from 2 leaf to soft dough.……
Barley: Leaf spots were commonly found by field scouts, but were not severe. The barley
growth stage averaged Zadoks 40 = boot stage at the time. Two of the four headed barley
fields had loose smut, with a 4 and 10% incidence of infected tillers.
Fusarium head blight: For Fusarium head blight, some NDAWN stations indicated that
weather had been favorable for moderate risk of Fusarium head blight…. This area of risk
is small and is similar to last week’s areas of risk, primarily in the northcentral tier of
counties. ”
In 2006 diseases were less common and less severe than in the last three years, probably
because of the well below average rainfall during the tillering and heading stages of crop
growth. Early in the season almost no disease was found on barley except for some minor
spot blotch symptoms and an occasional BYDV affected plant. By late June, leaf spots
were common but not severe and some fields that had not been seed treated were showing
symptoms of loose smut. By the beginning of July spot blotch was being detected in all
fields and aphid and thrip numbers had increased to damaging levels although no FHB was
detected in fields that had emerged heads. As July progressed aphids and thrips became
more common and patches of BYDV affected plants were frequently found, presumably as
the aphids are a vector for this disease. FHB at low severity was detected in only a very
few fields. By the end of July most crops were ripe, but those that were planted later and
were still green had little leaf disease detectable and no FHB was detected.
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