By Daren Mueller, Department Plant Pathology
During the past weekend hail storms once again wreaked havoc on corn and soybean fields across Iowa. Much like hail damage last month and last week, growers have an option to spray fungicides to protect remaining leaf tissue. We wrote an article last month walking through a fungicide decision on hail-damaged crops at that point in the growing season. Much of the information in that article remains relevant.
Points to once again consider:
1- There has only been one replicated study completed with the proper checks looking at hail damage on corn. The main conclusions from that two-year study completed in Illinois was that foliar fungicides did not significantly improve yield in either the damaged or non-damaged plots compared to the non-treated controls. Results from this research indicated that foliar fungicides provided very little benefit to corn injured by simulated hail.
2- This late in the season, there is not much time left for additional foliar disease to develop and contribute to yield loss, even with tattered leaves. Many of the diseases that are managed with fungicides do not require the wounds created by hail.
3- Depending on the percent of damage, yield potential is less in hail-damaged crops. Remember that fungicides protect yield, not create more yield. So, if yield potential is lowered by hail, this reduces the chances of recouping your costs of applying a fungicide.
Hail damage to corn with eyespot, five days after hail storm. Lang, 2009.
Daren Mueller is an extension specialist with responsibilities in the Corn and Soybean Initiative. Mueller at (515) 460-8000 or by emailing dsmuelle@iastate.edu.
Links to this article are strongly encouraged, and this article may be republished without further permission if published as written and if credit is given to the author, Integrated Crop Management News, and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. If this article is to be used in any other manner, permission from the author is required. This article was originally published on August 11, 2009. The information contained within may not be the most current and accurate depending on when it is accessed.
Daren Mueller Professor
Daren Mueller is an associate professor and extension plant pathologist at Iowa State University. He is also the coordinator of the Iowa State Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program. Daren received his bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1996, and his master's degree a...