Expert Answers

Weather conditions prevented me from getting the sprayer into the field at the right time. As a result, I have some fusarium in my winter wheat. The crop is now ready to harvest. What can I do to maximize my return?

It’s important to get the combine fan settings right if the crop has fusarium. That means cranking up the air blast to maximum in order to blow out smaller and shrivelled kernels that are most likely to harbour the disease.

Can I mix liquid ammonium sulfate or other liquid micronutrients with Buctril® M in the tank at the 4-leaf stage?

As it is not labelled, we do not recommend the addition of liquid or granular AMS (ammonium sulfate) or any other micronutrients to a tank of Buctril® M at any labelled application timing.

Will fusarium be a problem in the 2010 spring wheat crop?

Only Mother Nature knows this answer in advance. Fusarium is largely dependent on the weather. The critical infection period is seven days prior to the wheat heading and for five to 10 days after the heads have emerged. Wet conditions combined with temperatures between 10° and 30°C during this time increase the chances of fusarium infection. There is much less risk of infection when the weather is hot and dry.                                                     

What do I need to know about cereal staging?

Cereal staging is important information for using herbicides (and other inputs too) within the appropriate window of application. And there’s no better way than walking your field. Be sure to walk a zig-zag or figure eight pattern to get a good sample of plants in a field to correctly identify the crop stage.

Can I tank-mix cereal fungicides and herbicides to save time and passes over the field?

Yes, if it is a registered tank-mix, for example Buctril® M herbicide + Stratego® fungicide . These combination tank-mixes are best used at the T1 timing stage (early in the season to match the herbicide application window).

Herbicides are generally used early in the season before warmer spring weather has arrived, and some products have a temperature use range for best results. Adding a fungicide under these cooler conditions can increase the potential for crop injury. Always follow product labels, and do not use unregistered tank-mixes to avoid potential crop tolerance issues.

If I plant Fusarium-tolerant wheat, do I still need to apply a fungicide like Folicur?

Yes. Folicur protects against more than just Fusarium including leaf diseases like rusts. So even when Fusarium is less of a concern, such as Fusarium-tolerant varieties, Folicur protects against rusts that are always a possibility because they are blown into crops by the wind.