This year we have seven spore traps deployed in three grass seed production areas that include two sites in the Columbia Basin of Oregon (Umatilla County), two sites in the Columbia Basin of Washington (Benton and Franklin Counties) two sites in the Grande Ronde Valley (Union County), and a site central Oregon (Jefferson County).

We have expanded our spore trapping efforts northward this season, with a spore trap site in a Kentucky bluegrass field east of Eltopia.

These data will be used to refine and validate regional models and inform growers of spore production through the season.

The Ergot Alert Newsletter is brought to you by Oregon State University and sponsored by the Washington Turfgrass Seed Commission, the Oregon Seed Council, the Columbia Basin Grass Seed Growers, the Jefferson County Seed Growers Association, and the Union County Grass Seed Growers Association.