Planning Summer Fungicide

It may seem a little early to be thinking about fungicides with spring just getting underway, but it is time to start planning for summer fungicide applications. Most corn hybrids have a response to fungicide score (RTF). While we are preparing for planting, it is important to remember which hybrids are planted in each field in order to go back and look at each field with a high RTF score to be certain that we are getting these hybrids treated with a good fungicide.

We also need to remember the fields with a moderate to low RTF scores and scout them for disease pressure throughout the summer months and base decisions on findings in the field and/or movement of tar spot. Tar spot was new to our area last year, and most fields in the trade territory that I work throughout, had signs of late season tar spot, fortunately it was late enough in it’s arrival to not cause much if any yield loss in most situations. We may not be as fortunate in the 2024 growing season, so tar spot will be a new to us disease to track and learn from in the future, and most likely will reform the way many of us have made recommendations for fungicide on corn acres.

Talk to your local SFG agronomist to discuss the RTF scores of the varieties that you are planting, and start preparing for summer applications of fungicides on your farm.  While applying these fungicides it may also be a good time to add foliar N or micros especially Boron, that may show up in late season tissue samples to pull the most out of each acre of your operation.