Is Your Operation Prepared for a Tar Spot Outbreak?

Tar spot hit the Midwest hard last year, with some farmers experiencing 60-100 bu. yield loss due to premature plant death resulting from the disease. 

With tar spot’s ability to rapidly spread, agronomists fear another wave of the disease will hit the Midwest again this season.

Here are tar spot insights to better prepare your operation for disease strike:

1.    How to Conquer the Cornfield Wrecking Ball of Tar Spot

Planting resistant corn hybrids doesn’t mean you’re in the clear when it comes to tar spot, according to Nathan Kleczewski, Growmark plant pathologist.

In this article, Missy Bauer, Farm Journal associate field agronomist, breaks down how to track humidity levels in July to gauge your crop’s susceptibility to tar spot.

2.    Tar Spot Found in New States, Severe Infestation Slashes Yield

Margy Eckelkamp sits down with Kleczewski to better understand how tar spot has stretch into more Midwest states, and the lessons learned in trying to manage disease spread.

3.    Farmers Faced with Yields Cut in Half, Missy Bauer's 3 Tips to Salvage Fields Tormented By Tar Spot

Bauer shares three tests farmers can use to measure disease impacts when tar spot blindsides their operation:
1.    Split
2.    Pinch
3.    Push

Bauer says these tests will help prioritize field harvest order.

4.    Ferrie: Tar Spot is ‘Causing the Wheels to come off the Bus’

Reflecting on tar spot in 2021 sheds light on what to look for in 2022. According to Ferrie, this is especially important as tar spot took out numerous fields in seven to 10 days in 2021.

More on crop disease:
SCN Makes Planting Beans after Beans Financially Questionable
New Seed Treatment Offers Novel Active Ingredient To Address Pythium and Phytophthora
New, Free Publication Addresses Fungicide Efficacy For Soybean Foliar Diseases