North Central Ohio, across the Corn belt ! | To scout or not to scout
University experts don't question the value of applying fungicides when diseases are present at levels that are likely to affect yield. For example, the most prominent Corn Belt corn disease — gray leaf spot — can have a serious impact on yield when left untreated. But they are opposed to applying fungicides without the presence of disease. Bradley says that their 2007 trials tested the idea that disease doesn't need to be present for a fungicide to pay off and that the relatively low yield response supports a scout-and-treat approach.
Meanwhile, BASF recommends applying its fungicides without scouting to see if disease is present.
Bayer CropScience and Syngenta support scouting first. But scouting often is not practical, says Myers from Bayer CropScience. “We have seen that if you have normal to above-normal rainfall, you will have disease,” he says. “The same conditions that are good for the crop are good for disease. It is very difficult to scout fields.”
http://farmindustrynews.com/fungicides/payoff-debate
quote. from link
However, Syngenta technical manager Eric Tedford says the company recommends scouting first before applying its corn fungicide, Quilt. “The key to fungicide use is to actually scout for disease,” he says. “Based on disease pressure, go in and apply at the R1 plant stage.” (Consult each fungicide's label for application recommendations.)
He recommends following a 2-2-1 scouting procedure: Check two leaves just below the ear on every other plant. If you have one gray leaf spot lesion on the two leaves and environmental conditions are favorable for disease development, treatment is justified.
|
a review of Independent Fungicide usage, scout
