Pre-harvest measures against Fusarium spp. infection and related mycotoxins implemented by Dutch wheat farmers

Fusarium spp. are one of the most widespread mycotoxin-producing fungi in small-grain cereals like wheat. Theirrate of infection and production of mycotoxins is mainly influenced by weather and pre-harvest agronomicmeasures. Consequently, farmers’ prevention and control of mycotoxins are imperative since it is difficult toremove mycotoxins further down the cereal supply chain. This study aimed to (i) identify which pre-harvestpreventive and control measures Dutch wheat farmers currently apply against Fusarium spp. infection andmycotoxin contamination and to (ii) examine which farm and farmer characteristics explain the implementationof these measures. Field data on pre-harvest measures, like the selection of resistant varieties, fungicide use, andcrop rotation, along with farm and farmer characteristics were collected from Dutch wheat farmers via an onlinequestionnaire. Probit models were applied to examine farm and farmer characteristics that explain the implementationof pre-harvest measures. Results showed that most farmers applied six or more different measuresagainst Fusarium spp. infection and mycotoxin contamination in wheat and that the use of pre-harvest measuresis related to at least one other measure. However, results indicated that about 44% of farmers could become moreeffective if they implemented a benchmark approach consisting of a combination of fungicide use duringflowering, selection of a Fusarium resistant wheat variety, and plowing or crop rotation. Five out of the tenevaluated farm and farmer characteristics significantly (p < 0.05) explained the implementation of at least one ofthe eight pre-harvest control measures. These five farm and farmer characteristics include wheat as main incomecrop, the use of a decision support system, the education level of the farmer, the farmer’s knowledge aboutmycotoxins, and the farmer’s level of risk aversion. Insight into relevant characteristics can be used by farmercooperatives, processing industries and government agencies to improve the overall mycotoxin management ofwheat farmers.