Three decades after fusarium head blight first hit Canadian grain crops, the disease continues to spread and worsen with no effective end in sight, says a Canadian Grain Commission biologist.
Randy Clear, a biologist at the CGC Grain Research Laboratory in Winnipeg, told a Nov. 2 fusarium workshop that newer strains of the blight are becoming more toxic and the result could be increased export customer concern and added costs for the industry.
“The combination of yield and quality reduction and mycotoxin concerns of fusarium head blight have cost Canadian producers and the grain trade over $1 billion over the last 30 years and is still far from being controlled,” he said in a paper presented at a three day annual fusarium workshop in Ottawa.
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“As early as 1998, the total estimated loss in just Manitoba and Quebec was $520 million. Since then, the area affected has increased, as have disease levels.”
In an interview after his presentation, Clear said there is an urgent need for research into high-yielding fusarium resistant varieties.
“Absolutely more research is critical,” he said.
“Producers need to be profitable and that will come through better varieties.”
He said that while the handling system has been able to adjust to deal with infected grain, “producers have had less success reducing disease levels.”
A rapid, reliable and affordable test for the presence of vomitoxin also must be developed.
Losing the battle
Clear said despite years of research and regulatory changes in the grain handling and transportation system, the disease still is winning the battle.
“It varies from year to year but if you look at the situation over the years, you can see that it is getting worse.”
He said the spread of the affected area and the strengthening of the toxin leaves the Canadian grain handling and transportation system vulnerable.
And there is a threat that tolerance levels acceptable to Canadian grain customers could be lowered in future.
Fusarium emerged as a significant Canadian problem in the wheat fields of Ontario and Quebec in 1980. In 1984, it was found in Manitoba’s Red River Valley and it has since moved west despite past assumptions that most of the Prairies are too dry for the disease to flourish.
Since then, costs have grown and the industry has had to change to accommodate it, he said.
“There are so many layers of expenses and so many layers of effects on the industry.”
Manitoba farmers have all but abandoned production of durum wheat and malting barley, he said. Lower yields and quality reductions have cost farmers hundreds of millions of dollars.
Regulators and handlers have had to spend more money on testing, blending, grading and other measures to meet customer requirements for acceptable fusarium levels.
Crop exchange
In some years when the Manitoba crop is affected, feeding costs on the Prairies have been increased as Saskatchewan or Alberta grain is hauled east to feed the vomitoxin-sensitive Manitoba pig herd, while infected Manitoba grain is shipped west to feed vomitoxin-tolerant cattle.
And because the European Union has imposed a maximum tolerance of 1.25 parts per million, extensive testing must be done on wheat transported from Thunder Bay to Seaway terminals as well as on shipments heading overseas from east and west coasts.
The holds of ships plying the Seaway also must be regularly tested for contamination, he said.
“All of this has had a huge impact on the industry over the years,” said Clear.
