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Drought and disease impacting southern Illinois crops
Drought and a new disease is putting stress on crops in southern Illinois.
Agronomists from Nutrien Ag Solutions had a training at a Syngenta Grow More Experience site at Rend Lake College in Ina, Illinois Thursday. Phil Krieg with Syngenta tells Brownfield drought stress is common in that area of the state.
“We have been dry with only just shy of 8 inches of rain for the entire growing season since we planted and we haven’t had rain in about a month.”
Krieg says late planted crops were also more susceptible to disease pressure.
“We are starting to see southern rust really bloom and infect the corn that has not been sprayed with a fungicide. In soybeans for the first time ever we found target spot, that is a new disease to southern Illinois.”
Considering the challenges, Krieg says the crops still look pretty good and harvest is expected to begin between mid-September and early October.
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