Ergot Management in Cereals

Tip #3: Manage Disease Pressures

Ergot is a fungal disease that can infect wheat, barley, oats, durum, rye and canary seed, as well as grassy weeds in your fields. It can contaminate grain with toxic ergot bodies that pose serious food and feed safety risks and should not be consumed by humans or fed to animals. Even low levels of ergot can lead to downgrading shipment rejection or additional cleaning requirements which can limit market access and create export risk for Canadian cereals. 

This cereal disease arises from infection by the fungus Claviceps purpurea. Ergot infects cereal crops when airborne spores of the fungus land on the plant’s flowers. These spores germinate on the surface of the flower, penetrating and colonizing the developing grain. Flowering is the most critical time for ergot infection. Cool, wet weather conditions during flowering increase the risk. It is vital to monitor weather forecasts and field conditions closely during this period. If conditions are conducive to ergot development, steps to mitigate spread should be taken. 

Best practices to reduce ergot risk 

Ergot is a grading factor for Canadian cereals which means its presence directly affects the quality assessment and grade outcomes. Many domestic and export markets set maximum levels for ergot sclerotia or ergot alkaloids in grain. Grain that exceeds these limits may be downgraded or rejected. Because ergot alkaloids pose human and animal health risks, export customers closely monitor ergot levels in shipments. 

Proactive ergot management helps protect grain safety, maintain buyer confidence and safeguard Canada’s reputation as a reliable supplier of high‑quality cereal grains. 

Start with ergot‑free seed 

Plant clean ergot‑free seed whenever possible. There are no effective seed treatments for ergot. If using saved seed, ensure thorough cleaning before planting. 

Use strategic crop rotation 

Ergot sclerotia can survive in soil for approximately one year. Rotating away from susceptible cereals for one to two years reduces ergot carryover. 

• Avoid planting spring cereals near winter cereals which can create a disease bridge 

• Consider field history when planning rotations 

Manage grassy weeds 

Many grassy weeds can host the ergot fungus. Effective weed control reduces alternative hosts that allow ergot to persist and spread into cereal crops. 

Promote uniform crop stands 

Dense uniform stands reduce the number of open flowers available for infection. Use high‑quality seed,  appropriate seeding rates, balanced fertility and sound agronomic practices to support strong crop establishment. 

Scout and harvest with awareness 

Scout fields before harvest paying close attention to headlands and areas with previous ergot issues. Where severe infection occurs consider harvesting affected areas separately and managing that grain accordingly. 

Clean grain thoroughly after harvest 

Post‑harvest cleaning is critical for removing ergot bodies. Equipment such as gravity tables and colour sorters can effectively separate ergot sclerotia based on size density and colour. 

Know tolerance limits 

Understand ergot tolerance levels for your crop and market. Confirm requirements with your grain buyer to avoid surprises at delivery.

FAQs