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El Nino could increase crop disease pressure this summer, expert warns

A crop protection specialist expects this summer’s El Nino to influence crop disease pressure.

Tyler Harp with Syngenta says conditions in the southern U.S. are typically wetter than normal, with the northern tier of states warmer than average.

“We transitioned into El Nino from La Nina, probably one of the quickest on record. And so it’s going to be a quite strong one. If we have really wet conditions, we’ll see a lot of tar spot. We could see a lot of southern rust if it stays hot.”

If conditions are conducive for disease pressure, he tells Brownfield the best time to apply a fungicide on corn would be around VT to R1.

“And the reason for that is because the leaves that contribute so much to the yield potential are actually emerged at that time, so you’re protecting the most important leaves in the crop that are going to give you the best yield potential.”

Harp says fungicides can also improve plant health when crops are stressed from dry or hot weather.