Research into Scab Disease in Wheat Going All Out

By Don Molino, Voice of Louisiana Agriculture Radio Network

Dr. Boyd Padgett, director of the Dean Lee Research Station at Alexandria, is working this year on field tests both on and off the research stations around the state, trying to find solutions to problems facing Louisiana wheat farmers.

For example, disease resistance and disease resistance management practices.  

“And also with Dr. Trey Price and Dr. Steve Harrison, we’ll be conducting some fungicide tests on the various LSU experiment stations around the state,” said Padgett.

The experiments will only be conducted in wheat fields and plots “and we’ll be looking at some new fungicides and different timings,” points out Padgett. “One thing I particular, scab disease has been particularly bad the past two years so we’ll be trying to more or less wrap our arms around perhaps some new management practices that will help producers around the state  manage this disease.”

“We have some new products from industry the jury is still out on and we’re anxious to see how they’re going to perform,” Padgett concluded.

(This report a service of the Louisiana Soybean and Grain Research and Promotion Board)