Now is not the time to scout for corn diseases
Corn harvest is well underway in Illinois and we should move through our harvest at a decent rate given the current forecast. It is at this time every year…
Red "balls" on the lower crown of a soybean affected by red crown rot. Note the blue growth- that's the causal fungus of Sudden Death Syndrome. Remember that coinfection can occur, so don't assume anything is RCR or SDS without checking those stems and roots! Photo N. Kleczewski
Red crown rot: What to look for in your soybean fields
Red crown rot is a new disease in the Midwest, and was first detected in 2017 in a single field in Pike county Illinois. The fungal disease is soil-borne…
Keep an eye out for southern rust
Over the last two weeks our reports of southern rust have increased from a single find in the northern part of the state, to multiple detections across areas of…
Recent rains and what to look for in soybeans and corn
Last week I gave an update on the diseases we are starting to see in parts of Illinois corn. We have had a few decent rain events, the most…
Severe GLS / NCLB mix on a corn leaf. N Kleczewski
If you have not been scouting corn, now is the time to start!
Most of Illinois this season has been hot and dry, especially through central and northern portions of the state . This has been good as far as limiting foliar…
Tar spot in Illinois corn-2020
It's early in the season, but before we know it, corn will be chest high and we will be thinking about if in season management is needed. Last year…
Should I be worried about stripe rust in wheat?
Stripe rust is a fungal disease of wheat that can be extremely damaging under the appropriate conditions. Unlike stem and leaf rust, stripe rust is a cool season beast,…
Wheat FHB update # 2
Early planted wheat has started to flower in the southern part of Illinois. Although conditions have been cool, persistent rains continue to elevate levels of FHB risk in flowering,…
First FHB update for Illinois Wheat in 2020
Some of the earlier planted wheat in the southern portions of the state may be fully heading by the end of this week. After heads have cleared the ligule,…
Managing seed quality issues in soybeans
The 2019 soybean harvest was problematic. Wet weather delayed harvest in many parts of the state, and a hard early frost added additional insult to injury (pun intended). Unfortunately,…