Oat (Avena sativa) is one of the most important crops in South Brazil. As acreage increases, particularly in the no-till system, some diseases became more significant. In order to identify which growth stage of the kernel is more susceptible to the establishment of the fungus Pyrenophora chaetomioides, three experiments were conducted under field conditions. Oat panicles were exposed to natural inoculum during specific periods of time from their extrusion. To protect the panicles from the inoculum, cellophane bags were used to cover them. At the end of the cycle the panicles were individually harvested and the percentage of infected kernels was calculated after plating them in an artificial medium. The kernels exposed to the inoculum during the milk and dough stages showed the highest percentages of infection. Temperature and precipitation did not contribute to the infection, although high temperature and precipitation along with occurrence of other diseases anticipated the senescence of basal leaves, favoring the inoculum production.
