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NDSU disease forecasting system may include rust in 2000 The first year
of a wheat disease forecasting system at North Dakota State University seemed to be a success, although there are some improvements to be made, according to NDSU plant pathologist Len Francl, coordinator of the project.
Supported in part by the Minnesota wheat checkoff and developed to help wheat producers in the Northern Plains make timely treatment decisions, the forecasting information was made available online during the 1999
growing season at www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/cropdisease. The web pages received a total of 7,123 hits from 1,407 distinct hosts. The information was also summarized in recorded updates that wheat producers could access toll-free by
phone. The system measured fungal spores, wheat growth development, and weather conditions to pinpoint in near-real time the potential for scab, tan spot, and Septoria blotch disease infections in wheat.
Francl reports that the system correctly predicted a widespread tan spot epidemic and minor impacts due to leaf blotch and scab. However, leaf rust was a major disease problem this year in some wheat cultivars
but was not included in the system. Francl hopes to include leaf rust in the disease forecsting system next year . |
