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Western Illinois | I'm new to AgTalk but have been here many times via Google, so I hope I'm not re-hashing a foolish question.
We have not seen benefits of fungicide on corn in the absence of disease. With disease near or at the ear-leaf between V14-R1, good response. We've made two key changes the past two years (strip-tillage with more balanced fertility AND split-shot nitrogen in-season). Those changes, coupled with the collective views of farmers I respect, leads me to wonder what I may be overlooking. What's the group think?
Here's our general scenario:
1) No-Tillage for 30 years -- just started strip tillage this year.
2) Typically plant "work-horse" hybrids, though I don't know as though that distinction means as much as it did when Dad was my age (30).
3) We have only done aerial application.
4) We have tried various products -- Quilt, Headline Amp, and Stratego
I'm wondering if better coverage would change the game. I also wonder if the improved nitrogen assimilation--or claim thereof by BASF via Headline/Priaxor/AMP--would mean something now that we're putting 1/3 of our nitrogen on in-season now. I also wonder about the "organic guys" using Brix sap testing to test overall plant health; they would state that at a certain level, their plants are essentially immune to insect and disease pests--maybe our stuff is a bit healthier?
All thoughts--pro fungicide and con--are welcome. I just turned 30 this past week and won't pretend to have this (or much anything else) figured out! | |
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Why am I not seeing yield bump with fungicides on corn?
