Updated spore counts from our spore trap sites are available below.

It is important to remember that the spore counts presented below are intended to show daily trends in spore production and do not necessarily indicate inoculum pressure in your field(s). Spore production can vary from field to field, and inoculum pressure tends to be higher:

• in older fields with a history of ergot in the previous season
• in new fields planted next to established fields with a history of ergot
• in fields with high numbers of sclerotia (for context, KBG1 and PRG1 are artificially-infested fields at COARC and HAREC, respectively)
• when air temperatures are between 50 and 80°F
• after precipitation or rain events

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).