Fungicide application timing has a way of sneaking up on growers and custom applicators.
On this episode of the RealAgriculture Soybean School, BASF Canada agronomist Ken Currah says with hotter days in late June and early July, the crop can advance rapidly and growers need to be ready to apply fungicides as soon as Canada Day celebrations wind down.
"For soybean fungicide, I'm really focused on the white mould play first. That's an R2 to R 2.5 timing," says Currah. What does that actually look like on the plant? "Regardless of the number of nodes or vegetative stage, I'm looking for the presence of a flower on the top two nodes of the soybean plant. That's your indicator."
There's also a number of risk factors that growers need to consider, including field history and whether the area is prone to white mould, if manure has been applied, fertility levels and row width — there's a lot less air circulating through the plant in 7.5-inch rows compared to wider row spacings.
In the video, Currah looks at different fungicide strategies and under what conditions growers should consider a two-pass program versus a single application. When it comes to application, he advises against mixing more than two products in the tank and recommends growers conduct a jar test before filling the sprayer to ensure compatibility. Tap here for more Soybean School videos.
