Wet, humid conditions can cause corn diseases to advance quickly. The usual suspects are always a concern: Northern corn leaf blight, gibberella ear rot, and more, but a new-to-Ontario disease, tar spot, has been harder to predict when it comes to threat level. In 2022, early indications showed the disease was present but a dry… Read More

Corn growers who dodged the tar spot bullet last season are unlikely to be nearly so lucky this year, as the disease has been identified in southern Ontario and conditions are conducive to its spread. Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson has that discussion on this week’s edition of Wheat Pete’s Word, plus an insect alert, an… Read More

Tar spot has been spreading across North American corn growing regions ever since the leaf disease was first detected in 2015. Characterized by tar-like speckling on the upper surface of corn leaves, the fungal pathogen can deliver yield hits ranging from 20 to 60 bushels per acre (in highly infected fields). On this episode of… Read More

Fungicides are a key tool in the tar spot management toolbox. But what’s the best time for growers to apply a fungicide to get optimal control of the disease and the best return on their crop protection investment? On this episode of the RealAgriculture Corn School we catch up with Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food… Read More

After a methodical march north from the Corn Belt, tar spot has now gained a foothold in Ontario. Last year, the yield-robbing leaf disease was confirmed in five counties in the southwestern, stretching from Essex to Simcoe. Characterized by tar-like speckling on the upper surface of corn leaves, the fungal pathogen has been delivering yield… Read More

It’s time for the season finale of Ontario Diagnostic Days! The annual Ontario field crop diagnostic days held at Ridgetown, Elora, and Winchester are again virtual in 2021. On this live broadcast, University of Guelph professors Dave Hooker and Francois Tardif join host Shaun Haney to talk three hot topics that are sure to grab growers’… Read More

Tar spot is taking a bite out of yields in some Ontario corn fields but there is hope that growers will have effective tools to manage the leaf disease. Characterized by tar-like speckling on the upper surface of corn leaves, the fungal pathogen has been delivering yield hits ranging from 20 to 60 bushels per… Read More

It’s time for Day 7 of Ontario Diagnostic Days! The annual Ontario field crop diagnostic days held at Ridgetown, Elora, and Winchester are again virtual in 2021. Wheat and soybean fungicide tips, tar spot control in corn, manganese deficiency, plant growth regulators and double crop soybeans are all featured in this episode. We’ll kick it off with Ontario… Read More

 

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