August 29, 2012
Crops showing signs of the fungal disease of Fusarium head blight have been found in UK winter wheat testing in most field samples.
About 97% of wheat samples taken showed symptoms of Fusarium head blight, a fungal disease encouraged by wet weather that can reduce yields, the crop-quality service reported on its website.
Non-toxin producing species were responsible for the majority of symptoms, according to the report.
About 45% of crops were infected with Fusarium graminearum, a fungus that can produce mycotoxins, or chemicals that can be harmful to humans and animals.
About 4% of those crops were infected with Fusarium graminearum in the ears, or the grain-bearing part of the plant.
"The level of Fusarium graminearum present in crops in 2012 is far greater than the previous high seen in 2008," CropMonitor wrote.
