Subscribe to receive top agriculture news
Be informed daily with these free e-newsletters
Undecided about a fungicide application? Consider these factors
Hybrid, variety and weather are key factors to consider.
Angie Rieck-Hinz
July 30, 2024
2 Min Read
TIMING IS KEY: Fungicides in corn can be effective through the R3 (milk) stage for tar spot. Gil Gullickson
Questions regarding fungicide applications in both corn and soybean have been going on for more than two weeks in July. Because of our varied stages of corn, it is not too late to consider these factors for fungicide application decision before committing to a fungicide application, keep the following in mind:
Check hybrid and variety information for known disease susceptibilities, especially for ones we can manage well with foliar fungicides. The biggest issues are frogeye leaf spot and white mold in soybean and tar spot and gray leaf spot in corn.
Monitor the short-term weather forecast and keep in mind the longer-term weather predictions that come from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and other sources. Currently, NOAA’s Climate Prediction Network has us leaning for more normal precipitation in the short term and more “equal chances” wetter or drier in the longer-term (three months).
Know the weather conditions your diseases of concern perform better in by reading up on them on the Crop Protection Network website. For something like white mold or tar spot, you can use the apps (Sporecaster and Tarspotter) available to help track whether conditions have been conducive and favorable for disease development.
Scout your fields
If necessary, choose an effective fungicide (options for corn or soybean), and time it based on the disease development and the weather forecast (as best as you can.
Time your application well. Fungicides in soybean are generally best timed during R2 (full bloom) to R3 (beginning pod), while applications in corn may be effective through R3 (milk) stage for tar spot.
Rieck-Hinz is an Iowa State University Extension field agronomist. This material came from the North Central Agronomy Connection Newsletter that can be found here.
About the Author
You May Also Like
Current Conditions for
Boone, IA
75°F
Mostly Cloudy
Day 85º
Night 0º
10.91 mph
Enter a zip code to see the weather conditions for a different location.
Recommended
Aug 27 - Aug 29, 2024
Aug 27 - Aug 29, 2024
The nation’s largest outdoor farm event that annually hosts over 600 exhibitors from around the world.
LEARN MORE