Fungicide Days to Harvest or Pre-Harvest
Intervals (PHI) are Important

The continued wet, humid weather for many parts of the province has been ideal for late season diseases such as Stagonospora leaf and glume blotch, Fusarium and powdery mildew. With late season disease (post pollination) development the inevitable question is asked "can I apply a fungicide at this time?" The answer is read the label and note label restrictions. A pesticide application past the pre-harvest interval or days to maturity can have significant consequences as growers in Kansas found out this week.

On Tuesdsay June 24 (2008) the Kansas Department of Agriculture announced wheat at three elevators and in 20 fields covering 1,545 acres in south-central Kansas (7 counties) were under embargo until tests confirm that pesticide residues meet tolerances set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Food and Drug Administration. A further 5,999 acres were being looked at by The Kansas Department of Agriculture (eight counties) for possible late fungicide application. By Friday June 27 (morning), many of the fields were released but 4,659 acres were still embargoed until test results are completed.

I can not stress the importance of reading and adhering to the pesticide label. As a result of the action in Kansas one could expect an increase in monitoring by regulatory officials on both sides of the borders. For more information visit the Kansas Department of Agriculture news releases at http://www.ksda.gov/news/.

Table 1. Pre-Harvest Intervals for Wheat Fungicides