S3.E7 – Hidden Threats: How to Identify Barley Leaf Diseases in the Field

Barley growers and agronomists know that fusarium head blight often gets the most attention, but it’s far from the only disease worth watching. In this episode of The BarleyBin, we focus on several other important leaf diseases that can affect barley yield, crop quality, and management decisions: scald, net form net blotch, spot form net blotch, spot blotch and bacterial leaf streak.

The challenge is that some of these diseases can look similar at first glance, especially under field conditions. But identifying them correctly matters. Some are caused by fungi, while one is caused by bacteria — and that difference can influence whether a fungicide application is useful or a waste of time and money.

If you missed the earlier episodes of the season, catch up on Spotify our YouTube.

Key takeaways:

This episode offers practical guidance for anyone scouting barley fields:

• learn the symptom differences among key barley leaf diseases
• remember that fungicides do not control bacterial leaf streak
• use field observations, agronomic context, and lab support when needed
• consider seed testing as part of bacterial leaf streak management
• avoid unnecessary fungicide applications when the disease is bacterial rather than fungal

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Listen to this episode below or follow this link to Spotify.