The influence of late-season fungicide application and disease on the Hagberg falling number of grain from breadmaking varieties of winter wheat

Propiconazole plus tridemorph fungicide applied at flag leaf emergence and again at ear emergence reduced the Hagberg falling number (HFN) of whole grain flour from the winter wheat varieties, Avalon, Mission and Brimstone. The fungicide also controlled low powdery mildew (Erysiphe graminis f. sp. tritici) levels and severe Septoria tritici but results from plots sprayed either with or without fungicide showed no relationship between disease and HFN. Moisture content of the harvested grain was greater for plots sprayed with fungicide but this was not closely associated with lodging.