Ergot Alert for the Lower Columbia Basin (OR), June 9, 2020

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Updated spore counts are available for the Lower Columbia Basin of Oregon:

The final week of May began with extremely large spore counts (>40,000 spores/day), but spore production tapered off as the month wound down. However, the number of spores captured per day was still relatively high (>600 spores/day) compared to other locations.

Protective fungicides should be applied at the onset of anthesis to protect unfertilized flowers from infection, and cultivars with prolonged flowering periods may require more than one application.

Please refer to the PNW Plant Disease Management Handbook for more information on fungicide options for ergot (https://pnwhandbooks.org/plantdisease/host-disease/grass-seed-ergot), or contact Jeremiah Dung using the “Leave a reply” link above.

Ergot Alert for the Lower Columbia Basin (WA), June 3, 2020

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Updated spore counts are available for the Lower Columbia Basin of Washington:

Ascospores were detected on three out of seven days.

Based on field observations, many cultivars of Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass are flowering in the Lower Columbia Basin.

Protective fungicides should be applied at the onset of anthesis to protect unfertilized flowers from infection, and cultivars with prolonged flowering periods may require more than one application.

Please refer to the PNW Plant Disease Management Handbook for more information on fungicide options for ergot (https://pnwhandbooks.org/plantdisease/host-disease/grass-seed-ergot), or contact Jeremiah Dung using the “Leave a reply” link above.

Ergot Alert for Oregon, May 28, 2020

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Updated spore counts are available for central Oregon, the Lower Columbia Basin, and the Grande Ronde Valley of Oregon:

After a brief lull, increased spore counts were observed between May 21 and May 26 at COAREC in Madras, OR
Spore counts remain relatively high at our perennial ryegrass research site near Hermiston, OR, with nearly 80,000 spores being detected on a single day (May 24).
Sporadic, but significant, spore numbers were observed in the La Grande area between May 15 and May 21.

Ergot Alert for the Lower Columbia Basin, May 27, 2020

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Honeydew has been observed in non-treated, artificially-infested plots at the Hermiston Agricultural Research and Extension Center.

In contrast to airborne ascospores, honeydew is contact-, splash- or insect-dispersed.

The presence of honeydew at harvest can make swathing and combining more difficult. Late season scouting and field monitoring will help to develop harvesting/seed cleaning schedules and identify potential problem fields or areas that will need increased monitoring in the 2021 season.

The easiest way to scout for honeydew is to gently brush the flowers and developing seeds with your hand as you walk the field – if you feel a sticky substance, it may be honeydew from ergot. Aphids, if present, can also produce a sticky substance called honeydew, so, be careful not to confuse ergot honeydew with honeydew secreted by these insect pests.

Upon closer examination, ergot honeydew can often be seen being exuded directly from infected florets (red arrows).

Ergot Alert for the Lower Columbia Basin, May 21, 2020

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Spore production appears to be ramping up in the Lower Columbia Basin of Oregon:

Accumulated degree-days as of May 20 were 539 in Hermiston, OR (orange line). According to the model, most ascospores are produced in the Lower Columbia Basin when accumulated degree-days are between 414 and 727.
At this time in 2019, accumulated degree-days were 482 (dotted line).

This research is funded by the Washington Turfgrass Seed Commission, the Oregon Seed Council, the Eastern Oregon Kentucky Bluegrass Working Group, and the Oregon Department of Agriculture Alternatives for Field Burning Research Financial Assistance Program.

Ergot Alert for Central Oregon, May 21, 2020

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Updated spore counts are available for the central Oregon area:

  • It is recommended that growers scout fields as grass seed crops approach anthesis.
  • Protective fungicides should be applied prior to the onset of anthesis to protect unfertilized flowers from infection.
  • Cultivars with prolonged flowering periods may require multiple applications.
  • Please refer to the PNW Plant Disease Management Handbook for more information (https://pnwhandbooks.org/plantdisease/host-disease/grass-seed-ergot).

This research is funded by the Washington Turfgrass Seed Commission, the Oregon Seed Council, the Eastern Oregon Kentucky Bluegrass Working Group, and the Oregon Department of Agriculture Alternatives for Field Burning Research Financial Assistance Program.

Ergot Alert for the Grande Ronde Valley, May 19, 2020

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Updated spore counts are available for the Grande Ronde Valley. Large numbers of spores were intermittently detected at the site:

*Figure updated on 5/21/20 to reflect the average number of cells per ascospore (Tiffany 1948).
  • It is recommended that growers scout fields as grass seed crops approach anthesis.
  • Protective fungicides should be applied prior to the onset of anthesis to protect unfertilized flowers from infection.
  • Cultivars with prolonged flowering periods may require multiple applications.
  • Please refer to the PNW Plant Disease Management Handbook for more information (https://pnwhandbooks.org/plantdisease/host-disease/grass-seed-ergot).

This research is funded by the Washington Turfgrass Seed Commission, the Oregon Seed Council, the Eastern Oregon Kentucky Bluegrass Working Group, and the Oregon Department of Agriculture Alternatives for Field Burning Research Financial Assistance Program.