I have had several conversations with members of the agricultural community regarding seed quality resulting from issues derived from delayed harvest and persistent wet conditions encountered in many parts of Illinois in 2018. For more information on what seed producers and soybean farmers should keep in mind going into this season, see my new article published on the Illinois Field Crop Disease blog, found by clicking here.…
The 2018 report on applied pest and pathogen research in Illinois is now available. This guide provides information on pest and disease management research updates. It is currently located at the Field Crop Disease webpage.
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Tarspot in corn continues to be the hot topic in our field crops this season. I put together a brief update on what we know based on this seasons observations, which can be found by clicking this link.…
Hybrid resistance is a key component for managing many plant pathogens. To access a new sheet on hybrid response to tar spot in corn click the following link: Corn Hybrid Response to Tar Spotfin.docx.
We are currently rating multiple variety trials in affected areas across states to generate more hybrid-specific data. More information will be available soon.…
Tar spot is a relatively new disease in corn. It was first described in Illinois and Indiana in 2015, and was first located near DeKalb. Tar spot has been detected to some degree in Northern Illinois each year since. However, typically infections are sparse and the disease does not come in until later in the season. Consequently, yield loss due to this disease has been minimal, and the disease mostly considered an oddity.
However, in parts of Latin America,…
Physoderma brown spot and node rot is a disease that has been increasing in incidence in the Midwest over the past 5-10 years. We observed this disease frequently during scouting trips throughout the state conducted in late July. Recently, we have been receiving more reports of this disease and questions pertaining to it’s impact on the crop and management. I recently wrote an article on this disease and management recommendations on the Illinois Field Crop Disease Blog. …
Many people have asked about the need to make a fungicide application for frogeye leaf spot on soybeans this season. I have posted a new article on the Illinois Field Crop Disease Blog which reviews this pathogen, how it works, and some new tools that may help you with these important decisions. Find the article by clicking here.…