HRS Wheat Variety Response to Foliar Fungicide

study was conducted at the Carrington Research Extension Center in 2005 to evaluate agronomic performance of selected hard red spring (HRS) wheat varieties with early-flowering application of Folicur. The irrigated trial included ‘Glenn’, ‘Reeder’ and ‘Steele-ND’ planted on 2004 soybean ground (with supplemental wheat straw spread after planting) at 1 and 1.75 million pure live seeds (PLS)/acre (A) on April 28. Folicur at 4 fl oz/A + NIS (Induce) at 0.125% v/v was applied to early-flowering stage (Feekes 10.51) wheat with a hand-boom plot sprayer equipped with 8002 twin-jet nozzles delivering 18 gpa at 40 psi. Flag leaf disease (tan spot and Septoria spp.), leaf rust, and Fusarium head blight (scab) were visually evaluated at the soft-dough stage.

Established stands were 1,223,000 and 2,099,000 seedling plants/A with the normal and high seeding rates, respectively (Table 1). However, spikes/A were similar between seeding rates. Seed yield and quality were similar between seeding rates. Folicur application significantly reduced disease levels though scab index was still 16.1% (Table 2). Also, Folicur reduced DON by 38%, but the result was 6.2 ppm. Compared to the untreated check, Folicur increased yield by 13.3 bu/A and test weight by 2.2 lbs./bu. Scab index with fungicide was 8.2, 14.1, and 25.9% with Glenn, Steele-ND, and Reeder, respectively (Table 3). Leaf disease and leaf rust reduction with fungicide was greatest with Reeder. Fungicide improved yield 10.9 bu/A with Glenn, 11.8 bu/A with Steele-ND, and 17.3 bu/A with Reeder compared to the untreated checks. Fungicide improved test weight 1.3 lbs./bu with Glenn, 1.9 lbs./bu with Steele-ND, and 3.2 lbs./bu with Reeder compared to the untreated checks. n