News

Michigan corn benefits from timely rainfall, but tar spot risk remains

An agronomist in Michigan and northern Indiana says recent rains were a major boost for the corn, with rain totals up to four inches.

“Some might call it a one million dollar rain.”

Charles Scovill with Golden Harvest tells Brownfield the timing was just right as the corn wraps up pollination and starts setting kernels.

“In general, the crop condition looks good. It was slightly delayed in initial planting, but is making up time and disease pressures fairly low right now.”

Scovill says farmers are considering fungicide applications on the corn, with some concerned about tar spot this season. He says so far, tar spot has been confirmed in eight Michigan counties, and conditions are right for it.

“You know, it takes a little cooler weather and some moisture and we’ve had the cooler weather here a week or so ago with about a 21 day period from initial infection until we start to see those spots. It wouldn’t surprise me here in a couple weeks we do start to see more tar spots showing up.”

In its latest crop progress report, USDA says Michigan’s corn is rated 67 percent good to excellent with 37 percent of the crop in the dough stage. Michigan’s soybean crop is rated 51 percent good to excellent with more than half the crop setting pods.