You know fungicides return more dollars per acre on your investment if there is significant disease pressure, especially with susceptible hybrids. Jason Gahimer, manager of Beck’s Practical Farm Research, says there are other ways to increase the likelihood of a higher yield response and better return on investment when applying fungicides.

His team examined these practices in PFR studies. They include selection of the right fungicide, proper timing of application vs. growth stage of corn, obtaining adequate coverage and applying at the best time of day.

Here is a closer look, based on Gahimer’s observations:

Evaluate newer fungicides. Newer fungicides moved to the top of the Beck’s PFR fungicide trials, especially based on 2020 results. In a 2020 study at four sites — Kentucky, Wisconsin, southern Illinois and Ohio — southern rust provided increased disease pressure at two sites.

Here’s how Miravis Neo, Veltyma, Lucento and Zolera FX fared, respectively. Yield advantages over the control averaged 16.5, 15.5, 13.1 and 10.3 bushels per acre. ROI over control, with corn priced at $3.72 per bushel, was $40.35, $39.17, $32.20 and $26.60 per acre. All applications were made at R1. Two-year multiple-location results show an ROI of $26.98 per acre for Miravis Neo and $25.50 for Lucento.

Compare growth stage timing. In a separate trial in 2020, repeated in central Indiana, Kentucky and Wisconsin, Beck’s PFR team compared applications of Veltyma and Miravis Neo at V10 vs. R1. Yield increase for a V10 application for the two fungicides, respectively, was 3.8 and 6 bushels per acre. ROIs were a negative $4.39 and a positive $1.29 per acre.

For the R1 applications, the increase over the check was 17.6 bushels per acre for Veltyma and 13.8 bushels per acre for Miravis Neo. Increased ROIs were $46.98 and $30.30 per acre.

The Beck’s PFR team observed that diseases came in late at all three sites. They believe that’s why R1 applications outperformed V10 fungicide spraying.

Try more carrier volume. Getting good coverage on corn leaves is essential for good control, the Beck’s team believes. They compared 10, 15 and 20 gallons of carrier volume for Trivapro at four locations in 2020: Minnesota, Kentucky, southern Illinois and Wisconsin. Compared to the check, 10, 15 and 20 gallons of carrier with fungicide produced yield gains of 9.4, 12 and 12.6 gallons per acre, respectively. Corresponding ROIs were $15.41, $25.09 and $27.32 per acre.

Three-year data at multiple locations shows an advantage of about $10.50 per acre for applying fungicide with 15 gallons of carrier vs. the standard 10 gallons per acre. The advantage for 20 gallons of carrier vs. 10 was $11.11 per acre.

Apply fungicides in the morning. In 2020, applying Trivapro at 8 a.m. with dew on leaves increased yield by 4.3 bushels per acre vs. applying it at 3 p.m. when leaves were dry. That’s an average of three sites: Minnesota, Kentucky and southern Illinois.

Three-year data at multiple locations in the Beck’s PFR studies back up 2020 results. There’s over a $10-per-acre increase in ROI just for applying in the morning vs. in the afternoon. That’s almost half of the total increase seen for applying a fungicide in those trials.

The theory is that dew may help spread fungicides across the leaf surface, experts say. Most fungicides product to date have limited mobility in the plant.