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Learn from Last Year for a Strong 2022 Disease Management Plan

February 9, 2022
wheat field

As you plan for the next growing season, it can be beneficial to look back at last year’s risks and successes.

As we move further into 2022, we know that some of the top concerns for this year’s growing season are the cost of inputs and protecting your return on investment. With that said, when it comes to planning for disease management, it is crucial to ensure your plan will work for your operation, keep your crop protected and have top-notch performance from application to harvest. While your disease management plan may evolve over time, the best place to start is by reflecting on last year’s biggest threats to help prepare you for this year’s risk.

CORN

When it came to 2021’s corn crop, most growers saw good yields and prices, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t challenges in the field. One of the biggest threats that impacted growers across the country was tar spot which cost many growers yield and return on investment.

Another reason this disease is a big concern? According to researchers at University of Illinois Extension, tar spot can overwinter in debris and residue within the black spots (stoma) that form on the leaves. This provides inoculum for subsequent years of infection. If you did have a field that tested positive for tar spot during the last growing season, there is a good chance you will have a virulent pathogen present in the same fields for 2022.

WHEAT

Many wheat growers saw a repeat offender in the fields during the 2021 growing season with Fusarium head blight (head scab). While originally predicted to be a mild year, summer rain and humidity made many states susceptible to the disease.

According to the Crop Protection Network, head scab is one of the most economically damaging wheat diseases in the U.S. Not only does head scab decrease yields, but if deoxynivalenol (DON) levels are too high, it will decrease crop quality which could mean a dockage in your price or rejection at the elevator.

WHERE YOU SHOULD START

Now that you have reflected on last year’s growing season, it’s time to look forward to the 2022 season. As you begin thinking through your disease management plan, here are some important questions to consider:

  • What diseases were prevalent in your fields? How about your neighbors’ fields?
  • What is the cost associated with my disease management plan vs. the ROI?
  • What disease control options also enhance plant health?
  • Will this program be efficient at solving your key issues?

When it comes to picking a corn fungicide for 2022, growers need a tool that leaves corn healthier and stronger with broad-spectrum preventive and curative disease protection. That’s why we recommend Miravis® Neo fungicide for long-lasting protection against yield-robbing diseases and for a boost in your ROI potential.

For wheat growers, weather delays and varying growth rates across the field can throw a wrench in your application plans. But by using a fungicide with a flexible application window, like Miravis® Ace fungicide, you can take the stress out of controlling head scab and protect both the main wheat heads and tillers for maximized yield potential while protecting your prices when you reach the elevator.

By understanding historical disease pressure and arming your crop with a proven fungicide, you can stay a step ahead of corn and wheat disease challenges in 2022.

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All photos are either the property of Syngenta or are used with permission.

Syngenta hereby disclaims any liability for third party websites referenced herein.

Product performance assumes disease presence.

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