Ergot ascospores have been detected in the Columbia Basin at spore trap sites KBG4 (a commercial Kentucky bluegrass field near Paterson, WA) and in Central Oregon KBG1 (an artificially-infested Kentucky bluegrass field at the OSU Central Oregon Agricultural Research  Center).

It is recommended that growers scout fields as grass seed crops approach anthesis.

Protective fungicides should be applied prior to the onset of anthesis to protect unfertilized flowers from infection.

Cultivars with prolonged flowering periods may require multiple applications.

Please refer to the PNW Plant Disease Management Handbook for more information (https://pnwhandbooks.org/plantdisease/host-disease/grass-seed-ergot).