Fact Sheet Written by:
Cody Wright, Extension beef specialist
Alvaro Garcia, Extension dairy specialist
Jeff Held, Extension sheep specialist
Bob Thaler, Extension swine specialist
Russ Daly, Extension veterinarian
Martin Draper, Extension plant pathologist
And provided by
South Dakota State University
Fusarium head blight, also called scab, is a disease of
many small grain crops including wheat, barley, and rye.
Oats can also be affected but generally with less damage.
Scab is caused by the fungus Fusarium. Several species
of Fusarium can cause the disease, but far and away the
most common in South Dakota is Fusarium graminearum.
This is the same fungus that causes Gibberella
stalk rot in corn. When F. graminearum infections occurs
in corn ears, the disease is referred to as Gibberella ear
rot; it does not arrest kernel development.
Click Below for Fact Sheet