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Tar spot expected early; measured approach advised

An extension specialist with the University of Missouri says corn farmers should take a measured approach to combatting tar spot.

Mandy Bish says the disease continues to spread.

“The last two years we have seen tar spot show up earlier in Missouri and in different regions of the state.”  She says, “Earlier to me, meaning the end of May and early June.  When you look at the models and tools it suggests we’ll see it early again this year.

She tells Brownfield some years the disease can cause hefty yield losses to untreated fields, but…

“It’s bad in the years where it’s bad, like 2021, but there are a lot of years where we don’t have an epidemic.”  She says, “So, can we use the tools that have been developed and make that best timed application and not get anxious and jump the gun?”

Bish says research shows a single fungicide application between the V-T and R-3 growth stages to be the most economical.

“When you take all the university data that’s been done to date across multiple environments and everything, a single application between V-T and R-3 seems to be the most consistent for protecting yield and providing a positive return on investment,” she says.

She says limiting tar spot infection through corn dent is the key to protecting the crop’s yield.

AUDIO: Mandy Bish – University of Missouri