Early planted corn in Indiana is reaching late vegetative stages and tasseling in the south. Therefore, it is time to start monitoring for diseases to make an informed decision if a fungicide is necessary. This week we have found a low incidence of tar spot, gray leaf spot, northern corn leaf spot, Anthracnose, and common rust in the lower canopy.
A number of foliar diseases can impact corn production in both Indiana and Michigan.
Rainy, wet conditions will favor many fungal diseases in wheat. Already our southern neighbors have started reporting multiple diseases in wheat.
While corn planting progress is way ahead of the miserable 2019 planting season, Indiana’s corn crop has already experienced more than its fair share of misery.
Wheat has greened up and is actively growing across Indiana (except during these last few cold spells).
Planting has begun to ramp up here in Indiana. I want to remind you of a few resources for monitoring field crop diseases.
Each year the members of the Corn Disease Working Group and the North Central Regional Committee on Soybean Diseases (NCERA 127) with the support of the United Soybean Board establish ratings on the efficacy of fungicides for corn and soybean diseases.
The last two weeks have shown an increase in samples for stalk rots and ear rots/moldy grain at the Purdue Plant and Pest Diagnostic Laboratory, which is signaling that fields are in the middle of or nearing the end of harvest. Dr. Darcy Telenko has provided two great resources (Stalk Rots Getting You Down? & Ear and Stalk Rots) to help in identifying stalk rot diseases and how to manage them. Determining the type of pathogen is paramount in determining your management options, such as selecting hybrids with resistance to a particular pathogen, determining if/what pesticides will protect your crop, and what cultural practices will help mitigate the damage done (if only for future years). Multiple corn leaf spot or root rot pathogens also infect the stalk and/or ear. Other ear rots can move in due to insect feeding, exposed ear tips subject to the environment, or rain getting underneath[Read More…]
Tar spot of corn has been a concern this season after the localized epidemics we experienced last year in Indiana.
The time has come to start scouting corn for ear and stalk rots. This will aid in making assessments about field harvest order and if there is a risk of mycotoxin contamination.
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