As commodity prices continue to drop, growers are looking for ways to save on production costs and maximize gains. So when deciding how to best manage the threat of key corn diseases such as Northern corn leaf blight (NCLB) and gray leaf spot (GLS), growers should carefully consider their management options.

When deciding to purchase a foliar fungicide, scouting fields for diseases is normally the first course of action. But, research shows that disease spores could be affecting the yield potential of a crop long before this step is taken. According to researchers at the University of Kentucky, GLS infects the plant weeks before the first mature lesion appears. In fact, by the time a lesion is found, if the weather conditions are right, new spores may have already been released from the lesion and carried by wind, infecting nearby acres.

Optimal growth and distribution conditions for GLS and NCLB:

• Consistent winds and rain
• Several days of relative high humidity and high temperatures (70-85°F) foster GLS growth
• Moderate temperatures (64-80°F) and long periods of moisture on the ear leaf promote NCLB

Because of this timeframe and unseen infection, it’s important to know if your area is at risk for disease before scouting even begins. Understanding historical averages for disease in your area, past and future weather patterns, and the conditions that promote the spread of disease can help you stay ahead of costly, yield-robbing diseases.

To help you assess the need for a fungicide before disease strikes, Syngenta has developed a prediction tool. This tool takes into account weather patterns, corn hybrid susceptibility and geographical location to predict the likelihood of GLS or NCLB in your area.

This prediction tool is available to all Syngenta sales representatives and can help assess the chance for these diseases in your area. If you find your county has a moderate to high risk of GLS or NCLB, Syngenta offers Trivapro^™ fungicide to help protect your acres with preventive and curative activity on both GLS and NCLB as well as several other key diseases.

Protecting crops with a fungicide that works as hard as you do is key to stay ahead of diseases and ultimately grow more.

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