Lessons from the year 2001 Mycosphaerella graminicola epidemic on winter wheat in Belgium

Infection by Mycosphaerella graminicola (anamorph Septoria tritici) was monitored between April and July 2001 on F6 to flag leaf in 11 farmers' fields or fungicide trials. Data were analysed by mean of the decision support system "Proculture" which links an automatic weather station of the PAMESEB network to a particular field, simulates plant development with adjustment by one phenological observation during the stem elongation and analyses superposition of emerged leaves and infection events (http://www.fymy.ucl.ac.be/proculture). Several climatic events favourable for the infection and dissemination of M. graminicola occurred between October 2000 and March 2001 and allowed build up of a large amount of inoculum on the lower leaves at the end of the winter. The start of stem elongation was associated with frequent rainy periods during April, causing early infection of F5, F4 and up to F3 in some precocious fields. Dry weather with only a few local showers during most of May and June slowed down spread of infection to the upper leaves, leading to absence of M. graminicola infection of the flag leaf in 9 out of the 11 fields. Yield increase by a single fungicide spray ranged from 800 to 2200 kg/ha. A second treatment was cost effective in none of the fields. The interest and limitation of the decision support system for understanding M. graminicola epidemic and for guiding decision on spray timing are discussed.