Can Fusarium Head Blight Vomitoxin Levels be Reduced with Agronomic Practices

Objectives The objectives of this study are to i) investigate the effect of harvesting wheat at different grain moisture contents on vomitoxin levels and grain yield; and ii) investigate the effect of phosphorus applications at planting on the uniformity of wheat head emergence and flowering, vomitoxin levels and grain yield. Materials and Methods Experimental fields will be established at the University of Kentucky's Research and Education Center in Princeton KY. We will have two locations of ambient infection of F. graminaerum, and one location of inoculated F. graminearum that will be misted with overhead irrigation to promote Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) disease development in the spring. Each field will have an early and late planting, and an early and normal harvest timing. Within each planting and harvesting timings there will be five replications of four treatments consisting of in- furrow phosphorus application and two different wheat cultivars. Planting and harvesting timings are as follows: 1. October planting and early harvest (20-22% grain moisture) 2. November planting and early harvest (20-22% grain moisture) 3. October planting and normal harvest (13-15% grain moisture) 4. November planting and normal harvest (13-15% grain moisture) Within each of these plating and harvest timings there will be additional treatments 1. Moderately susceptible FHB wheat cultivar and 0 lbs P2O5 per acre at planting 2. Moderately resistant FHB wheat cultivar and 0 lbs P2O5 per acre at planting 3. Moderately susceptible FHB wheat cultivar and 42 lbs P2O5 per acre at planting 4. Moderately resistant FHB wheat cultivar and 42 lbs P2O5 per acre at planting