Basic Considerations Fusarium in Wheat and Barley Wheat, corn, and barley together account for about 65% of the world production of cereals, and all are susceptible to pre-harvest infection by Fusarium fungi. In addition to reducing quality and yield, Fusarium also produces mycotoxins that contaminate the cereal crop.
Alfalfa (Medicago sativa). It is often a major component of cattle diets: in the USA where 7. Beyond boredom and anxiety. Please note that once you make your selection, it will apply to all. Agriculture in Canada - Wikipedia. Canada is one of the largest agricultural producers and exporters in the world. As with other developed nations, the proportion of. Data Files for Agriculture. Canada Grains Council: Online Statistical Handbook: Current. 1997-1999 revised data: 1997-2000.
Two of the most important species in this regard are Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium culmorum. These species typically develop during wet midsummer weather to produce Fusarium head blight in barley and wheat. These fungi also produce deoxynivalenol (DON) and related mycotoxins at high enough levels to produce toxic effects in livestock, especially swine. Disease outbreaks affecting only a fraction of the heads in a field are capable of producing a crop that exceeds accepted tolerances for mycotoxins in animal feed.
The mycotoxin usually produced during Fusarium head blight is deoxynivalenol (DON), although related toxins similar to DON may also be present. Fusarium graminearum can produce both 3-acetylDON and 15-acetylDON in addition to DON in field crops. This poses a problem for swine producers because not only is DON present, but these analogs accompanying DON possess a higher oral toxicity than DON itself.
Canada Grains Council 1999 Statistical Handbook
Both DON and 15- acetylDON have been recently found in wheat and barley from Manitoba and from North Dakota. DON is the most widespread Fusarium toxin in Canada, and was discovered in Ontario and Quebec wheat back in 1980. In western Canada, the first report of widespread contamination of wheat by DON was in 1985 crops, and other more toxic Fusarium products such as HT-2 toxin have appeared in subsequent crop years. In 1985-87, and during the 1990's, Fusarium head blight recurred in Manitoba wheat, and grain producers became familiar with the sight of shriveled pink or white 'tombstone' kernels in harvested grain.
In the last ten years, southern Manitoba has experienced exceptionally high summer rainfall, followed by epidemics of Fusarium head blight in barley and wheat. This has resulted in many deliveries to country elevators of grain having visible Fusarium mold, and in numerous requests for DON testing in affected crops. Today, the presence of toxin-producing Fusarium fungi in western Canadian wheat is of unprecedented concern, owing to the spread of Fusarium graminearum and DON westward from Manitoba into Saskatchewan and Alberta (Clear et al.
2000), and because of crop contamination by more toxic products such as HT-2 toxin and moniliformin. Demise of Grain Transportation Subsidies In 1995, railway grain transportation subsidies, administered through the Western Grain Transportation Act of 1984, were terminated by the federal government.
The cost of shipping grain increased sharply from the former Crow's-Nest Pass Agreement (1897) rates, and it quickly became much more expensive to ship grain from Manitoba to year-round export ports. With low grain prices, questions have arisen about the future profitability of grain farming in Manitoba. There has been a large increase in livestock production, which benefits from low grain prices, and which is not so sensitive to transportation costs.