AAAR 34th Annual Conference
October 12 - October 16, 2015
Hyatt Regency
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Abstract View
Identification of Meteorological Predictors of Spore Release of Fusarium Graminearum
RAY DAVID, Amir BozorgMagham, David Schmale, Shane Ross, Linsey Marr, Virginia Tech
Abstract Number: 184 Working Group: Primary and Secondary Aerosols from Agricultural Operations
Abstract The global food supply is being stressed by changing climate, a growing population, and harmful diseases. One risk to vital cereal crops such as wheat and barley is Fusarium head blight, which is caused by the plant pathogen Fusarium graminearum, whose spores can be transported long distances through the atmosphere. The overall goal of this research is to improve the ability to predict and control the spread of Fusarium head blight. Our specific research objectives are to identify the meteorological conditions that favor spore release and to quantify the emission rate of spores; this rate can then be used in a transport model to predict the spread of the disease.
We obtained spore release data from field experiments in which a wheat field was artificially inoculated with F. graminearum, and we applied correlation and causality analyses to determine relationships between meteorological conditions and spore concentrations. While correlation analysis reveals statistical relationships between variables, causality analysis recognizes the causal agent and direction of influence within a relationship. Correlation and causality analyses identified significant relationships between spore release and solar radiation, wind speed, air temperature, and relative humidity.
We further described the relationship between spore release and meteorological conditions through controlled laboratory experiments. We assessed spore release in a chamber with controlled temperature, relative humidity, and light. Results show the sensitivity of spore release to relative humidity (75%, 85%, and 95%) and temperature (15°C and 25°C). The knowledge gained from these studies will inform growers about the likelihood of spore release events, allowing them to make timely field management decisions and enabling improved land management decisions.