Preventive agricultural practices may be less effective if a lot of airborne inoculum is present in the area. Fungicides can provide partial control of FEB but the effects may be variable. The type and timing of fungicide application is important as non-optimal applications may even increase "Fusarium" infection. Research has also been put into development on biological control strategies based on bacteria and fungi for example, "Bacillus" and "Cryptococcus" species"." For FEB no control measure is completely effective and integrated management involving several control strategies such as preventive measures, disease monitoring and chemical control is necessary. Disease forecasting models have been developed to assess the risk of FEB depending on weather conditions. From an economic standpoint, it is one of the major cereal diseases, being responsible for significant grain yield reduction world-wide. In the U.S and Canada, Fusarium ear blight emerged in the 1990s as a widespread and powerful threat to cereal production. From 1998-2000 the Midwestern United States suffered $2.7 billion in losses following a FEB epidemic. Since 1990, extensive research has been put into the development of control measures of Fusarium ear blight. An example is the US Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative (USWBSI), a collaborative effort of scientists, growers, food processors and consumer groups aiming to develop effective control measures, including the reduction of mycotoxins. Return of an old problem: Fusarium head blight of small grains  Fusarium head blight in Canada  United States Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative  Fusarium Head Blight Risk Assessment Tool  Scab Smart