Fusarium Head Blight of Wheat

Fusarium head blight (FHB) or scab was first reported in Nebraska in 1898. The disease affects small grains including wheat, barley, oats, triticale, and rye. FHB of small grains is caused primarily by the fungus Fusarium graminearum (sexual stage: Gibberella zeae). The fungus is a facultative parasite, that is, it normally exists as a saprophyte but can live as a parasite on plants, causing disease. In addition to causin gdamage to heads, it also may infect roots and crowns and often is, together with other soilborne fungi, the cause of seedling blights and root and crown rots. F. graminearum also causes stalk and ear rots in corn.