By Jamie Martin
As the growing season progresses in Wisconsin, corn fields are increasingly threatened by disease pressures due to intensified heat and rainfall. These conditions foster the growth of pathogens responsible for diseases such as Northern corn leaf blight and gray leaf spot.
Bill Verbeten, FMC's technical service manager for Wisconsin, emphasizes the urgency for growers to upgrade their disease management tactics.
Effective strategies include rigorous scouting of fields to identify and prioritize high-risk areas. This proactive approach enables timely fungicide applications, essential for controlling disease and preventing yield loss. Verbeten advises selecting fungicides that offer extended control to manage disease more effectively over time.
Timing is also crucial. Applying fungicides during optimal plant growth stages can enhance their effectiveness, ensuring the best possible return on investment.
This season, with its expected severe disease challenges, demands that growers not only prepare but also remain vigilant, adapting their strategies as conditions evolve. Ensuring that all measures are in place now will be key to maintaining crop health and productivity.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-awakr10
Categories: National