Corn+Soybean Digest Logo

Farmers can arm themselves with scouting, patience at planting and a new seed treatment.

April 25, 2022

2 Min Read
2-18-21 seedling-corn-vogt-1540-800_0.jpg

Getting the corn crop off to a solid start includes managing early corn seedling diseases like PythiumRhizoctoniaFusarium and Penicillium, says Justin Schneider, LG Seeds agronomist in Michigan. He offers tips for limiting the number of bad days to maximize yield potential.

#1: Scout fields early

The critical time to scout corn fields for seedling diseases is 10 days to two weeks after planting, says Schneider, adding, “If you need help with that, contact your local agronomist. We’re happy to run out there and do stand counts and identify early disease threats.”

“If you don’t spot a problem until you are side-dressing with nitrogen or spraying a herbicide, you’re too late,” he says.

Pythium thrives in cool, wet soil and can been fueled by reduced or no-till situations and increased use of cover crops. It causes more damage than Fusarium and Rhizoctonia combined. Schneider says in Michigan, poorly drained soil creates an optimal environment for early-seedling diseases like Pythium.

Schneider also encounters Rhizoctonia, particularly with warmer soils and in irrigated fields, as well as Fusarium, which can be triggered by stressors like herbicide damage or improper seedbed preparation.

Penicillium is more prevalent in areas like southern Illinois or Tennessee where temperatures are warmer in the spring.

Related:Equipment maker partners with Crayola

These diseases hinder root development, which can impact nutrient and water uptake, reduce plant growth and, in severe cases, kill seedlings, says Schneider.

#2: Practice patience at planting

Farmers have increasingly been “pushing the envelope” when it comes to planting, with Schneider cautioning, “We need to be as close as we can to that 50-degree soil temperature mark at planting, especially if a field has a history of early seedling diseases.”

He also emphasizes the importance of patience when it comes to seedbed prep and ensuring good seed-to-soil contact. “The longer that seed sits in the ground, the more susceptible it’s going to be to a disease threat,” Schneider warns.

#3: Try a new mode of action to combat Pythium

A good fungicide seed treatment can provide an added layer of protection, and Schneider is excited that LG Seeds has added Vayantis® fungicide seed treatment to the arsenal. “It’s rare to have a new active ingredient come on the marketplace, so having that in our Pythium-fighting toolbox is going to be huge,” he says.

The powerful compound offers highly effective and overlapping modes of action for fighting Pythium. “I’m going to have fewer replant calls because of it,” he predicts, adding that LG Seeds agronomists are available to help farmers determine which tools get the most out of their crop.

Related:Weather for 2022 is unforgiving

Source: LG Seedswhich is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset. 

Read more about:

Crop Conditions
Subscribe to receive top agriculture news
Be informed daily with these free e-newsletters

You May Also Like