Fungicides Plus!

March 15^th is the deadline for those prepaying fungicides to receive significant rebate incentives!!!

There has been a lot of debate lately regarding fungicide timing, rates and performance.  Timing is the key with fungicides.  Today’s fungicides contain both curative and preventative products.  In corn, the ideal time to spray is full tassel.  In beans, we need to shoot for R3.  Being off one week can reduce response substantially.  When customers buy their fungicide from me, I keep an eye on their crops’ progress for them to ensure appropriate application timing.

ISU trial data

Recently, V4 to V7 applications have become very popular in corn.  Farmers will add a full or partial rate of fungicide to their herbicide mix while spraying in this window.  This has proven to provide strong yield bumps, but I feel it should be considered an ADDITIONAL application.  When applied early, residual control can run out before plants need it most.

Fungicide response can be very hybrid specific!

Additionally, when you are running over the field at VT/R3, it is a good idea to throw a long residual insecticide in the mix. Though you might not be at threshold for any one insect, it’s a safe bet that you will pick up the $7/ac(ish) the insecticide costs from cumulative control of corn rootworm beetles, corn leaf aphids, spider mites, soybean aphids, grasshoppers, green clover worm, etc. In beans, if you need to spray a second round of insecticide for aphids, most insecticide companies will help pay for the chemical needed.

Notice better filling at the tip!

Helena's product, CoRoN, is a foliar nitrogen product that uses boron to help bring the nitrogen into the plant more efficiently. This is ideal for fungicide and insecticide applications because it assists in the fungicide uptake and effectiveness as well.

Sources:

Helena Chemical Company

Syngenta

Iowa Stute University Extension: Alison Robertson and Daren Mueller.  Publication: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/CropNews/2012/0109robertson.htm