APRIL 27, 2001
FARMERS SHOULD AVOID FUSARIUM-INFECTED SEED
SASKATOON, Sask.--"Grain vendors should be telling farmers if they know that there is fusarium in seed stocks, and farmers should not be seeding seed that they know is contaminated," said NFU Saskatchewan Board member Stewart Wells.
Wells was commenting on recent reports that Navigator durum wheat seed sold by Saskatchewan Wheat Pool was contaminated by fusarium.
Wells also urged farmers to require fusarium test results when buying seed. "When farmers buy lentils we ask for test results listing ascochyta levels. Farmers should take the same precautions with fusarium in wheat. And farmers should not accept or plant contaminated seed," said Wells.
Fusarium head blight is a serious wheat disease. It has caused large yield and quality losses in Manitoba and eastern Saskatchewan. By not planting infected seed in areas of the province that are still disease-free, farmers may prevent the further spread of fusarium head blight.
"Companies who sell contaminated seed and farmers who plant it may be spreading the disease. This may mean increased costs to farmers--to those who plant infected seed and their neighbors," said Wells.
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For More Information:
Stewart Wells, NFU Sask. Board member: (306) 773-6852
Darrin Qualman, Executive Secretary: (306) 652-9465