The COAREC ergot spore trap site was set up on May 1 in one of our Kentucky bluegrass research plots. The trap is located in a second-year, 4 acre field with a history of ergot. Dr. Qunkang Cheng, Postdoctoral Research Associate, is also investigating alternative spore trapping methods for wider use in the Pacific Northwest.
Low spore counts (between 0 and 9 spores) have been observed on most days, with the exceptions of May 7 (263 spores) and May 10 (77 spores).