Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a serious threat to wheat and barley crops across the Canadian Prairies, slashing yields and producing toxins that make grain unusable. Now, farmers have a powerful new online tool developed right here in Canada to help them predict and manage this costly disease more effectively.
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This new system, hosted by the University of Manitoba, is a significant leap forward, moving from static, regional forecasts to dynamic, localized risk maps tailored to specific fields and crop types. It promises more accurate and timely information, empowering farmers to make better decisions about protecting their harvest.
Understanding the Threat: Fusarium Head Blight
Imagine a fungus that doesn’t just damage your plants but poisons their very core. That’s what fusarium head blight can do. This disease attacks the heads of cereal crops like wheat and barley, leading to shrunken, discolored kernels and significantly reduced yield. Even worse, the fungus can produce mycotoxins, harmful compounds like deoxynivalenol (DON or “vomitoxin”), which make the grain unsafe for consumption by humans or animals. Selling infected grain can lead to steep penalties or even complete rejection, hitting farmers hard in the pocketbook.
Preventing FHB requires precise timing for fungicide application. Spraying too early or too late is ineffective and a waste of resources. Farmers need reliable information to know when the risk is high in their specific area.
From Old Maps to Dynamic Digital Tools
For years, Prairie farmers relied on FHB risk maps, but these had frustrating limitations. Think of them like old paper maps you had to update manually – they were often static images, only updated on weekdays, leaving farmers guessing on weekends. They showed broad regional risk but lacked the detail needed for individual fields.
Worse, the previous maps were based on older forecasting models primarily developed in the United States and simply adjusted for the Prairies. This could lead to inconsistencies, especially for farmers near provincial borders who might see different risk levels depending on which province’s map they checked. The underlying models were also over 20 years old, raising questions about their accuracy in changing weather patterns.
Building a Prairie-Grown Solution
Recognizing the need for a better tool, researchers led by Dr. Paul Bullock at the University of Manitoba embarked on a massive project. Between 2018 and 2023, they collected extensive FHB data from over 1,800 test plots and validated their findings on another 300 commercial fields across the Prairies. This wealth of local data became the foundation for the new Fusarium Head Blight Risk Mapping Tool.
“The models are very much a Western Canadian, Prairie-made model and risk mapping tool,” explained Andrew Hector, an agronomy extension specialist with the Manitoba Crop Alliance. This local focus ensures the tool reflects the unique environmental conditions farmers face in the region.
Unlike the old static maps, the new tool is interactive. Farmers can zoom in on their specific location, select date ranges, and even choose the specific type and variety of crop they are growing. This level of customization wasn’t previously possible.
Wheat heads are forming on a field near Stockholm, Saskatchewan
Crucially, the new tool provides risk models for multiple crop types: spring wheat, winter wheat, barley, and durum. Previously, maps primarily focused only on spring wheat. The algorithms for each crop type are developed independently and use different weather parameters, allowing for more precise risk assessments.
How to Read the Risk Map
The mapping tool uses a simple, colour-coded system to show FHB risk levels:
- Green: Low risk
- Yellow: Moderate risk
- Red: High risk
- Black: Very high risk
Farmers can view these risk levels displayed on a map and even watch time-lapse animations to see how conditions have changed over recent days. This helps them understand trends in disease pressure in their specific area.
The tool operates annually from May 15 to August 31, pulling real-time weather data from a vast network of over 130 weather stations in Manitoba alone, including those from Manitoba Agriculture and Environment and Climate Change Canada. Farmers can access this valuable resource online at prairiefhb.ca.
Screenshot of the Fusarium Head Blight Risk Mapping Tool showing high risk in parts of Manitoba for spring wheat
A Tool, Not a Replacement: The Importance of Scouting
While the new mapping tool is sophisticated and powerful, experts like Andrew Hector emphasize that it’s designed to support traditional farming practices, not replace them. The maps show environmental conditions favourable for disease development, but farmers still need to get out into their fields to scout.
“The risk maps are based on models, and no models are 100 per cent accurate,” Hector cautioned. “This map needs to be used in tandem with traditional scouting methods to determine fusarium head blight risk for individual fields.” Farmers must visually inspect their plants to see if the crop is at the susceptible stage (usually flowering) and if symptoms of FHB are starting to appear. The tool helps narrow down where and when scouting is most critical. (Learn more about managing FHB risk and building your plan).
What’s Next for the Tool?
The developers are already looking to the future to make the tool even better. One key area for potential improvement is adding forecasting capability – currently, the tool only shows present-day risk based on historical and current weather data, not future predictions.
Additionally, the level of detail varies by crop type. While spring wheat risk maps include categories for fusarium damaged kernels and DON levels (mycotoxin risk), winter wheat and barley maps currently only show the general FHB risk. Researchers hope to roll out these more detailed risk categories for all crop types in future updates.
This locally-developed, dynamic FHB risk mapping tool represents a significant step forward in equipping Canadian Prairie farmers with the information they need to protect their crops and livelihoods from a devastating disease. By combining cutting-edge data modeling with traditional field knowledge, farmers can face the challenges of fusarium head blight with greater confidence.
