Growing conditions during the two halves of the 1998 growing season varied drastically. Precipitation from sowing up to mid-June was at levels that favored development of foliar and spike diseases. However, from mid-June through harvest, precipitation was below average and further development of diseases did not occur. Sowing and harvest dates were seven to ten days earlier than the five-year average. Yield, kernel plumpness, and disease levels were reduced by the dry growing conditions during grain fill.

The major disease problem on barley produced in northeastern and north-central North Dakota was Fusarium head blight (FHB), incited primarily by Fusarium graminearum. All cultivars grown in North Dakota are moderately susceptible to the pathogens inciting FHB. Production of a mycotoxin, deoxynivalenol (DON), is associated with F. graminearum. Barley with excessive levels of DON is not purchased for malting and brewing. Overall, FHB severity and DON levels found in 1998 were the lowest since 1993. Foliar diseases were severe at Langdon, with the predominant foliar disease at this site being septoria leaf spot, incited by several Septoria spp. Septoria also was the predominant foliar disease found at Carrington, Dickinson, and Minot. Barley yellow dwarf virus was severe in late-sown nurseries at Fargo. All barley cultivars currently grown in North Dakota are susceptible to Septoria spp., leaf scald, barley crown rust, and leaf rust. Experimental lines have been identified that are resistant to leaf rust and septoria leaf spot.

Yield and agronomic data for the six-rowed barley yield trials conducted at Langdon have been unreliable in three of the past five years because of ununiform plots. Areas of excessive salt in the field resulted in plots that had poor plant emergence and/or stunted plants. Because of this problem, the six-rowed yield trials will be moved from Langdon to an area near Osnabrock, ND. The site near Osnabrock is about 20 km east of our current Langdon location and does not have areas with excessive salt. The two-rowed yield trials have not been as severely affected by excess salt at Langdon. Thus, these yield trials will not be moved.

A total of 809 thousand hectares of barley was grown in North Dakota during the 1998-growing season. Hectarage decreased nearly 17% from that sown in 1997. The high incidence of FHB the past six years was a major cause of the reduced area sown in 1998. The hectares sown to barley will likely continue to decrease in 1999 because of the continued threat of FHB and low barley prices.

As in previous years, six-rowed malting barley cultivars were grown on over 90% of barley area in North Dakota. Robust, a six-rowed malting barley cultivar released by the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station (MAES) in 1983, was the most popular cultivar with 56.0% of the hectarage. Hectarage of Robust in 1998 increased over that sown in previous years because it is preferred by the malting and brewing industry. Stander, a six-rowed malting barley cultivar released by the MAES in 1993, was the second most popular cultivar in North Dakota with 17.1% of the hectarage. Hectarage of Stander decreased by 50% over that sown in 1997 due to the fact that the malting and brewing industry prefers other six-rowed cultivars. Foster, a six-rowed malting barley cultivar released by the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station (NDAES) in 1995, was the third most popular cultivar with 11.6% of the hectarage. The total hectares sown to Foster in 1997 and 1998 were similar. Stark, released by the NDAES in 1991, was the most popular two-rowed barley sown in North Dakota. It was sown on 2.8% of the hectarage. Conlon, released by the NDAES in 1996, likely will be the most widely grown two-rowed cultivar in 1999.