Wheat grain is at “extremely low” risk of mycotoxin contamination this year, according to a Central Science Laboratory survey of fusarium head blight symptoms in commercial crops.

Provisional data indicates that disease is present in 2.45% of crops and only 0.1% of plants, compared to 28.03% of crops and 2.25% of plants in last year’s survey.

There is some regional variation, with a higher incidence in the east (3.4% crops), south east (2.4%) and south west (2.1%), compared to 1.5% crops in the Midlands, west and north.

The fusarium species responsible for the head blight symptoms have not been fully identified, although currently, Fusarium poae, F. langsethiae and F. graminearum are the predominant pathogens being isolated.

See www.cropmonitor.co.uk for more.