Recent studies revealed that the invasive foxtail barley (Hordeum jubatum) was a reservoir for multiple fungal pathogens. These pathogens are purposefully infecting barley crops. In particular, it offers an important reminder that foxtail barley should be recognized for its important ecology role in agricultural landscapes across North America. It especially focuses on the effects of foxtail barley on barley crops.
Foxtail barley grows in a wide variety of habitats ranging from Alaska to central Mexico. You might encounter it in plowed agricultural fields, remnant native prairies and yes, even junky sites. Research team members collected 100 diverse foxtail barley accessions from around the world. They garnered samples from locations in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and North Dakota in the United States as well as Manitoba in Canada. The objective was to evaluate the grass’s response to the seven fungal pathogens that had previously been identified as causing diseases on barley.
The findings of the study are concerning: 97% to 100% of the evaluated accessions of foxtail barley were infected by pathogens responsible for net blotch, spot blotch, stem rust, stripe rust, and crown rust. This applied research confirms what the scientific literature has suggested, that foxtail barley has variable compatibility with these pathogens. This meant that while some barley was resistant, displaying low susceptibility, other varieties were very susceptible.
Infected foxtail barley can present important threats to neighboring barley fields. When planted in close proximity to these crops, foxtail barley can serve as a source of inoculum, which could help start disease epidemics. This risk is further complicated by the grass’s amazing ability to proliferate and thrive in diverse landscapes from wheat fields to tidal marshes.
USDA-ARS researchers Oadi Matny and Brian J. Steffenson were the lead investigators on the research recently published in the journal Plant Disease. Their ongoing research emphasizes the importance of alternative hosts, such as foxtail barley. These novel hosts may act to perpetuate and disseminate newly emerged crop disease.
“These findings highlight the important role alternative hosts can play in the survival and spread of crop diseases,” – researchers
The implications of this research go beyond academic interest. They play right into developing practical agricultural management strategies. Gaining insight into how foxtail barley interacts with barley pathogens will be key to establishing successful disease prevention strategies. Farmers may want to be on alert for foxtail barley in their fields. This is critical to consider as part of their overall crop rotation plans and disease management efforts.
