On this episode of The Agronomists, host Lyndsey Smith is joined by Stephanie Divitaris of Syngenta and Albert Tenuta of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness to talk tar spot's identification in Ontario, its life cycle, conditions that make it worse and what to consider for control (hello, hybrid selection!) This episode of... Read More

Tar spot, a new yield-robbing leaf disease, has arrived in Ontario corn fields as expected and farmers are being encouraged to get out and scout and protect their crop's yield potential. Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness plant pathologist Albert Tenuta confirmed the presence of the disease in a field earlier this week. At... Read More

Stripe rust has been confirmed in the Ontario winter wheat crop. Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness plant pathologist Albert Tenuta shared the news at the Ridgetown agribusiness breakfast meeting this week. The disease can cause up to 50 per cent yield loss if not managed properly. It was confirmed after samples collected by... Read More

Tar spot was first confirmed in Ontario at Ridgetown in the southwest corner of the province in 2020. Since then, the corn leaf disease has spread across Ontario, pushing east past Toronto and into Quebec. Many Ontario farmers experienced the yield robber in their fields for the first time in 2024 and the disease is... Read More

Genetics and fungicides are the two pillars of disease defence when it comes to yield robbers like tar spot. But weather and technology also play a key role in helping growers defend their crops against the foliar disease. On this episode of the RealAgriculture Corn School, Ontario Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Agribusiness pathologist Albert... Read More

When growers discover soybean cyst nematode (SCN) in their fields, sudden death syndrome (SDS) may not be far behind. Those nematodes act as an enabler for SDS by creating an entry point for the disease pathogen to enter roots and infect the plant. That's why it's important for growers to employ an integrated management program... Read More

Field research shows that the best time to tackle tar spot with a fungicide is the VT/RI stage of corn development — when the tassel is visible and silks are emerging. That's the case again this year, says Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness plant pathologist Albert Tenuta. He's been testing fungicide treatments to... Read More

Planting across Ontario is nearing completion in many regions, but excessive rain continues to stall progress in some areas, leaving farmers to contemplate switching intended corn acres to soybeans. It's a decision that has significant cropping implications, says RealAgriculture agronomist Peter Johnson, and he wants growers to look at all the potential impacts before making... Read More