The Back Forty October, 2020

FHB (Fusarium Head Blight) – Let’s Manage It

Alberta has a very diverse geography and a crop growing area that spans a wide range of climates. Milk River, Alberta is closer to Winnipeg, Manitoba than it is to Fort Vermillion, Alberta. It is 1,246 kilometres from Milk River to Fort Vermilion. Milk River is nearer to Vancouver via the Crowsnest Pass than it is to Fort Vermilion.

I grew up in Manitoba, and I know that growing wheat “back home” is different than growing wheat in Alberta. Thus, it is understandable that climate, pests, and other factors affecting wheat production differ between Milk River and Fort Vermilion. Different conditions exist from one side of the Peace River to the other side of the Peace River. What works well in Winnipeg or Milk River may not be the best option in Fort Vermilion or Rycroft. What worked well in 1928 in southern Saskatchewan did not work well in 1929. The bottom line is things change. Over time, between different climates, and even between other geographic regions in the same province.

I remember when Fusarium graminearum (Fg) became established in Manitoba in the late 1980s, nobody knew what to do or how to manage it. It was not a new disease in Canada, having been identified in Eastern Canada as far back as the 1940s. It was still new to Manitoba, and best management practices were hard to find without ubiquitous internet access. It was a disaster! But it is not any longer. Farmers in Manitoba still grow a lot of wheat and have adopted best management practices to limit losses and keep the disease at bay.

The disease slowly moved northwest over the ensuing decades across Saskatchewan and into Alberta. A regulatory approach was implemented to delay the introduction and spread of Fg in Alberta. Alberta declared Fg a pest in 1999. Farmers were unable to acquire, sell, use, or distribute seed containing Fg. To further attempt to limit the spread of the disease, the Alberta Fusarium graminearum Management Plan was rolled out in 2002 by the Alberta Fusarium Action Committee; a committee formed to address the management and mitigation of the pest.

Whether or not the regulatory approach to Fg in Alberta can be quantifiably proven to have slowed disease spread is open for debate. Once a pathogen is established in a region and its’ pathology is understood, a singular regulatory approach is no longer effective in managing a pest. Fg is a slow-moving, air-borne disease, and our understanding of Fgs’ spread has evolved. Fg can be found across Alberta and has become endemic in many regions. Times change.

On June 3, 2020, Alberta’s Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Devin Dreeshen, issued a ministerial order to remove Fg from the Pest Nuisance Control Regulation of the Agricultural Pests Act. Alberta Wheat and barley growers can access a broader range of varieties, benefit from research and remain competitive with other jurisdictions. It will allow farmers in areas most affected the freedom to make decisions that make the most sense for their operations and their ability to manage risk.

Despite the regulatory change, individual counties still retain the ability to implement their own Fusarium management plans, which works for farmers in their area. Under the Municipal Government Act, Municipalities may enable policies to manage the pest according to what works for the realities of their region. Southern Alberta farmers are now free from regulatory rules that were no longer effective because Fg is prevalent in their areas. Other counties can introduce regulations to prevent the introduction and spread of Fg in the areas where Fg is rare.

Support for this change does not mean Alberta is throwing in the towel, taking a foot off the gas, giving up, and not worrying about this devastating pest any longer. The importance of Fusarium graminearum management has only gained a heightened focus.

The Alberta Wheat and Barley Commissions have supported the regulatory change but only hand-in hand with the need to emphasize best management practices, continued surveillance and monitoring, and a heightened focus on plant breeding research efforts and agronomic best management practices. All to reduce the risk of Fg infestations for all farmers in Alberta.

In collaboration with industry stakeholders, the commissions have developed a website called “Let’s Manage It!”. This website contains information aimed at FHB mitigation and provides a roadmap for an industry-wide FHB management strategy. Management starts at harvest but is a year-round consideration. The website offers management plans for the entire year in farmers’ fields and a long-term industry strategy to support mitigation. Visit the news website at https://managefhb.ca/

Brian Kennedy, Grower Relations and Extension Manager | Alberta Wheat and Barley Commissions