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Tar spot management in 2023

An agronomist says farmers should already be thinking about managing tar spot for the 2023 growing season.

John King with Landus says it’s still a relatively new disease.

“It’s not something that’s a smoke and mirrors deal,” he said. “It’s also really hard to plan for or really know when it’s going to come in. It’s a very odd disease. The wetter it is the more you’re going to have of it.”

He tells Brownfield prevention efforts have expanded.

“We saw huge yield differences between (farmers) who were treating with fungicide and who weren’t,” King said. “I think the biggest thing for a grower today, you may not have had it this year but you are going to get it.”

King says depending on when tar spot sets in, it can cause significant yield loss in corn.

Tar spot can develop during cool temperatures with high humidity and extended hours of dew at night. King says farmers should scout fields and look for the disease in the lower leaves.