Project Details
Description
The quality and safety of cereals, like wheat and barley, is threatened by the occurrence of mycotoxins.
Mycotoxines are formed by fungi. The infection by fungi and formation of mycotoxines, including DON (Deoxynivalenol), are determinted by multiple agronomic and meteorologic factors. Because of the multitude of influences, the grain quality and especially safety is difficult to grasp and to determine in advance.
As a result, the industry is continuously surprised by incidents; like in 2011, when the mycotoxin level in barley was very high in The Netherlands and barley could not be used in breweries.
The understanding of these interrelationships and factors is necessary to reduce the contamination of mycotoxins.
On the basis of predictive models early insight can be obtained into contamination at harvest. These predictions can support decisions of entrepreneurs. Growers can use the forecasts to support decision-making on management such as the use of fungicides. Purchasing and processing links in the cereal chain can use the early predictions for decisions about routing and processing in the supply chain.
A start has been made in modeling (eg Van der Fels-Klerx et al 2010). For practical implementation, the current models have to be enhanced to make them more applicable in practice.
The objective of this project is to improve sustainability in the blue green domain through more focused (and therefore less) use of pesticides against Fusarium fungi in grains and reduce the depreciation of cereals due to reduced quality.
| Status | Finished |
|---|---|
| Effective start/end date | 1/01/13 → 31/12/14 |