Monitoring Crops for Issues

As we progress through the growing season, keeping a close eye on the stages of our corn and soybeans is key to maximizing yields. With recent rainfalls, it's more important than ever to monitor our crops for potential issues.

In corn fields, excessive moisture can bring about diseases like northern corn leaf blight and gray leaf spot. Last week we also found some tar spot. Areas treated with fungicide have minimal presence, but untreated areas are showing more significant symptoms. The yield monitor will ultimately be the deciding factor, but we should have good control of tar spot and have minimal yield loses.

If you do have tar spot, at this point in the growing season I would not recommend a rescue treatment. Once you see the spots it’s generally too late for treatment. If tar spot blows up in a certain area of your farming operation I would plan on fungicide applications in that area next year.

For our soybeans, wet conditions can increase the risk of diseases like frog eye leaf spot and brown spot. Regular scouting is essential to catch these issues early and apply the necessary treatments. Our soybeans are currently at the critical pod-filling stage and protecting them from disease now can significantly increase our final yields.

On the management front, our recent fungicide applications are well-timed. For soybeans, the focus is on safeguarding the developing pods from diseases. In corn, ensuring that the ears are protected during the dough stage helps the plants channel their energy into filling the kernels. Given the recent rains, it's vital to make sure fungicides are applied correctly and reach the target areas. Keeping an eye on the weather and continuing regular crop inspections will help us tackle any emerging challenges and support healthy crop development through these critical stages.