Latest from the Blog
Recent Popular Press Article
Fusarium head blight research at the Eastern Ag Research Center was highlighted in this month’s Prairie Star with an article summarizing this years Field Day presentation on FHB management. https://www.agupdate.com/theprairiestar/news/crop/crutcher-cautions-producers-to-scout-for-fhb/article_281efb96-0a97-11ed-a983-77dadc2f276b.html
2020 Virtual Field Days Video
The year 2020 could only be described as getting used to the new normal every day and learning to accommodate collaboration virtually. Community outreach was done virtually and this video is the talk about soil microbes, crop pathology, and soils research from scientists across Montana.
Pathogens in Eastern Montana
Pathogens collected in the field.
Current Projects:
Developing Fusarium head blight resistant varieties for Montana in collaboration with Montana State University cereal breeders – Funded by U.S. Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative
Evaluation of cover crops as contributors to plant disease in pea and lentil – Funded by the Montana Specialty Crop Block Grant Program
Measuring the effect of long-term rotations and previous crop on pathogens of pea and lentil – Funded by the Montana Specialty Crop Block Program
Intercropping chickpea with flax: An alternative sustainable way to manage Ascochyta blight of chickpea – Funded by the Western SARE
Understanding Fusarium head blight populations in Montana – Funded by the Montana Wheat and Barley Committee and the U.S. Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative
Evaluation of planting date for chickpea yield and disease – Funded by the Northern Pulse Growers Association
Assessment of soil health and nitrogen economy in lentil and pea cropping systems – Funded by the USDA Pulse Crop Health Initiative
Development of high throughput technologies for improved detection and breeding for resistance to Ascochyta blight of chickpea – Funded by the Montana Specialty Crop Block Program
Publication List:
Crutcher FK, Lamb PF, Nash D, Fiedler JD, Eberly J, Kephart KD, McVay K, Torrion J, Beiermann CW, Vetch JM, Chen C, Holen D, Blake NK, Heo H, and Cook JP. 2022. Registration of “MT Sidney” hard red spring wheat. Manuscript accepted by The Journal of Plant Registrations Sept 2022
Zhou Y, Chen C, Franck WL, Franck S, Crutcher FK, Khan Q, McVay K, and McPhee K. Intercropping chickpea-flax for disease management and yield. Manuscript submitted to Agronomy Journal June 2022
Zhou Y, Crutcher FK, Franck WL, Franck S, McPhee K, and Chen C. 2022. The
combination of seed treatment and cultivar selection is effective for control of soilborne diseases in chickpea. Crop Protection 161:106053.
Jbir TG, Crutcher FK, Rickertsen J, Fonseka D, Friskop AJ, and Kalil AK. 2022. Effect of planting date and cultivar on Fusarium head blight, ergot, and foliar leaf spotting diseases of durum wheat. Plant Disease, in press
Hogg AC, Carr PM, Eberly JO, Chen C, Kowatch C, Crutcher FK, Lamb PF, McNamara K, Kephart KD, Smith V, Dykes L, Chen X, Huang L, Giroux MJ. 2022. Registration of ‘Lustre’ durum wheat. Journal of Plant Registrations 16:576-584.
Crutcher, FK*, Mohammed Y, Chen C, Turner S. 2022. Effects of host plant
resistance and fungicide applications on Ascochyta blight symptomology and yield of chickpea. Plant Disease 106:247-253. DOI 10.1094/PDIS-06-21-1252-RE
Parikh LP, Moparthi S, Crutcher FK, and Burrows ME. 2021. Identification of
metalaxyl and ethaboxam insensitive Pythium sylvaticum pathogenic to pulse crops in Montana, USA. Plant Health Progress 22:387-388. DOI 10.1094/PHP-01-21-0001-FI
Peluola C, Hoesel S, and Crutcher FK*. 2020. Chlorine gas is an effective alternative to sterilize carnation leaves for Fusarium spp. identification. Journal of Microbiological Methods 170:105841. DOI 10.1016/j.mimet.2020.105841
Porter LD, Kalil A, and Crutcher FK. 2020. Fusarium wilt, in: Compendium of Pea Diseases and Pests, Third Edition. R. M. Harveson et al., eds. American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, MN, pp. 19-23.
Big Sky Plant Doc 