News

Conditions right for disease pressure

Farmers are faced with tough agronomic decisions this year.  The warm wet weather is making conditions just right for development of crop diseases.

Tim Sickman, manager of the Loveland Research Farm in Owensboro, Kentucky says it is essential for farmers to scout fields for diseases.  “We’re seeing Grey Leaf Spot in corn and the start of Frog-eye Leaf Spot in soybeans,” he says.  “Even if it stops raining today the crop canopy is going to remain moist and it will be a humid environment for the next several weeks.”

With lower commodity prices – he says farmers are looking at tighter budgets.  But, he tells Brownfield – that shouldn’t be the only factor in their crop management decision.

“This is a season where you could see significant impacts on bushels between fields where fungicides are used or not used,” he says.  “Just because of the intense buildup of disease pressure that we see.”