In subsequent years, if barley is to be grown in the same field, plant a variety that has good disease resistance. Even if a susceptible variety is grown, a disease problem will only occur if the disease organism is present. Unfortunately, both scald and net blotch fungi can be found throughout most of Alberta. The presence and abundance of these organisms will depend upon the agronomic practices that have been followed for barley production. The disease risk reduction must be balanced against the increased soil erosion potential.
Crop rotation is an effective management tool.
It is important to control volunteer barley during the intervening years to ensure the full benefits from growing a non-host crop are obtained. A small percentage of seed may carry scald and net blotch and in this manner the disease may be introduced into a clean field. Using seed grown from a field where the disease was not a problem will reduce the chances of introducing the disease in this manner, although this option may not always be available. Despite these precautions, wind dispersal of the fungal spores may introduce the disease from nearby fields. In Western Europe, foliar fungicides are used extensively on cereals for disease control.