Early reports indicate the potential for more problems with Fusarium head blight, commonly known as scab, this crop year.

The U.S. Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative, a public-private-government research collaboration to fight scab, reported this week that early reports show hot spots in the Southeastern United States.

Signs of the disease have been noted in North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Arkansas.

The severity of outbreaks seems to be related primarily to weather, mitigated by the use of fungicides and resistant wheat varieties researchers have worked to develop in recent years.

More of the scab report and tools for growers are available online at www.scabusa.org/.