Southern Rust in Corn Diagnosis & Impacts

"Plant Diseases are Shifty Enemies." -E. C. Stakman

And nothing is so shifty as Southern Rust. It's impact can be double digit losses in corn and rapidly overtake a field. For 2020, be on the look out for it, especially if we start getting early season tropical storms funneling rain and humidity into our area. I am quoting Beck's Hybrids agronomist Scott Dickey in an email he sent out. I thought he put it together very concisely.

• Scott: Southern rust is usually one of the bigger issues (other than heavy rain) that tropical systems deliver to our part of the world.  The earlier this issue arrives, the bigger its impact can be.  Southern rust has been found to our south in Louisiana and Texas.  This means that the inoculum is ready to be picked up by the storm and delivered to our geography.  Does that mean we will automatically see Southern Rust early and at high levels in our area?  Not necessarily.  However, the risk is greater when we have an early arriving storm like this one.  Attached is some information on this disease.  Remember that SR is a fast developing disease.  It takes roughly 7 days for it to cycle.  It will take time for it to develop to levels that make it easy to find in fields, but you will definitely want to be on the lookout.  Based on the forecast trajectory of the storm, it looks like central and eastern MO may be at a slightly higher risk than WMO.

Go to article on soybean populations.

Another point to mention this time of year is soybean populations. What amounts to target and when. Read this article: Soybean populations as we plant later in the year

Go to podcast on Southern Rust.

Also, here is a podcast which contains a video by Beck's Hybrids agronomist Steve Gauck on helping identify Southern Rust vs Common Rust. It is called: What is the difference between Southern Rust & Common Rust? Episode 9

Also, listen at Podbean or Apple Podcast

Go to article on applying nitrogen in corn.

We also mentioned applying nitrogen to corn in season in the podcast, you can read this article: Preparing for post plant Nitrogen app in Corn

A special thanks to those contributing to this article:

• Scott Dickey, Beck's Hybrids agronomist for western Missouri

• Steve Gauck, Beck's Hybrids agronomist for Indiana

• Beck's Superior Hybrids and all their people who work tirelessly behind the scenes to make knowledge and data reality!

Research Plot Observations, Pictures, & Notes

If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it? - Albert Einstein

In this post we dive into a few observations on our Research Plot and the agronomy studies we are doing here on a Beck's Hybrids corn plot in SW Missouri.

For the record there are currently three studies we have started here. Upon which we may add more in the future as the need or interest works out to be. They are for corn the Closing Wheel Down Pressure Study, Seed Planting Depth Study, & Hail Storm Recovery Study.

Observations

• Closing Wheel Down Pressure Study

Raised up

Float

Middle (Normal)

Full Pressure

-At this time we are not noticing major differences, with this exception. A little too much down force on correctly spaced and aligned closing wheels is better than not enough.

• Seed Planting Depth Study

¼" loss of 70-80% of stand (maybe due to temp swings and birds)

1" no loss of stand (curious on wind and weather effects on shallow planted roots later)

2" Almost perfect stand, seems to be the sweet spot

3" Loss of some stand on the wetter areas (Perfect stand only in ideal conditions)

• Hail Storm Recovery Study

Simulated Hail date: 05/05/2020

Recovery time as of this post: 7 days (May 12, 2020)

Three sections of simulated damage:

-stripped or torn leaves (greatly recovered)

-hailed out completely (greatly recovered)

-large hail stones (50% fatalities, perhaps the simulation was too extreme)

Please see the photos below for the date of occurrence to today on the hail storm study: