Warm weather sets the stage for diseases and nematodes. With this winter’s mild La Niña and the resulting temperatures, growers can likely expect the extended the survival of “volunteer” crops and other factors to have a significant impact on diseases and nematodes for the upcoming season. Being proactive will be key.

Pest Pressures:

Whether it’s nematodes, molds, or leaf spot diseases, warm weather helps pests thrive. According to the University of Georgia Extension and Southeast Farm Press, these are some of the insects, diseases and nematodes to look out for in the early 2017 season:

• Thrips and tomato spotted wilt (peanuts)
• Soybean cyst nematodes
• White mold/stem rot (peanuts)
• Northern and Southern corn leaf blights
• Gray leaf spot (corn)
• Fusarium (corn)
• Diplodia ear rots (corn)
• Frogeye leaf spot (soybean)
• Anthracnose (soybean)
• Southern root-knot nematodes (cotton)
• Bacterial blight (cotton)
• Leaf spot (peanuts)

How can you protect your crops from a plethora of pests? Variety selection plays an important part in a disease and nematode management program. Be aware of available disease and nematode resistant varieties and use an integrated management program that combines cultural practices, varieties with genetic resistance and fungicides:

• Elatus^® fungicide provides excellent control of foliar and soilborne diseases in peanuts.
• Avicta^®Elite Cotton Plus with Vibrance^® can help protect against early-season diseases, nematodes and difficult insects.
• Trivapro^® fungicide helps protect corn and soybeans from diseases with preventative and curative activity.

Protecting crops with a combination of cultural practices and fungicides is key to staying ahead of diseases and growing more.

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