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Tar spot pops up across Indiana

An extension pathologist says tar spot continues to spread across Indiana.

Darcy Telenko with Purdue University says it was recently confirmed in the eastern part of the state. 

“If you had tar slot in your fields last year, at the end of the season, or if you’ve had it in previous years, you probably could go out and find it,” she says. “If you’re looking this year, you know, if you look at the map, we’ve pretty much confirmed it across the state.”

She tells Brownfield some growers may need to take action.

“In my mind, if you’re a grower that’s experienced issues with tar spot, if you’re finding in your field and your corn is approaching tasks in the silk, which I think much of the state is, it might be a a time to pull the trigger on on trying to protect that upper canopy with with a fungicide,” she says.

Telenko encourages farmers to report active tar spot findings to Purdue University Extension.