The DONcast model was developed to provide wheat producers with a means to predict deoxynivalenol toxin accumulation for better efficiency in spray decisions timing. WIN produces DONcast estimates for the quantity of deoxynivalenol toxin (DON in p.p.m.) produced by Fusarium sp. that will accumulate in your wheat. The predictions are based on a determination of the heading date, Zadoks Stage 59 (75% of the heads in a canopy completely emerged from the flag leaf) for the calculation. These DON predictions use weather forecasts for your fields. This forecasted data is then supplemented with observed data from weather stations. DON predictions before the crop has actually headed are generally less reliable than those where heading has already occurred, mainly because more observed data is available to the model.

DON predictions generally become more reliable as the forecasted weather data is updated with observed data. DON predictions are meant to serve as a guide to alert producers of potentially high DON levels for specific wheat markets; high DON levels --according to tolerance levels established by various wheat market destinations-- may warrant a timely application of FOLICUR. DON predictions for individual fields vary depending on the wheat variety, crop rotation, tillage, planting date, soil type, and local weather conditions. Site-Specific DONcast is a much more precise tool than the regional maps previously available. It is very important to monitor your own fields to identify the time of head emergence (Zadoks 59) in order to accurately run the Site-Specific DONcast calculator. Sign up now for our Site-Specific DONcast service for a prediction of DON levels for your fields.

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