Uljin County Urges Monitoring and Control of Fusarium Head Blight in Wheat and Barley

Intensive Monitoring and Control Measures to Be Implemented Until the End of May

Uljin County in North Gyeongsang Province (Governor Son Byungbok) announced that it will conduct intensive monitoring for Fusarium head blight in wheat and barley until the end of May, which is the period from heading to harvest, and recommended that farmers actively implement preventive and control measures.

Wheat growth status at the end of April 2025.

Fusarium head blight is more likely to occur in warm and humid conditions with more than three consecutive days of rainfall after heading and flowering. Infected grains develop dark brown husks, gradually become covered with pink mold, and fail to fill properly with nutrients, leading to reduced yields and decreased quality.

An even greater concern is that the toxins produced by this mold can cause food poisoning in both humans and livestock, making thorough management essential. Control methods include spraying the appropriate pesticides according to pesticide safety guidelines, increasing the wind speed of the grain cleaner during harvest to remove husks and some infected grains, harvesting on clear days, and drying the grains immediately after harvest according to proper standards.

Kim Chaho, head of the Technology Extension Department, said, "To minimize damage to wheat and barley, we will strengthen on-site monitoring in the agricultural sector and make every effort to ensure that control measures can be implemented immediately if weather forecasts indicate conditions favorable for disease outbreaks."