David Hula enjoys a good competition. An array of trophies, plaques and certificates of achievement won by growing high corn yields over the past decade-plus attest to that.
But Hula is also known in farming circles for his generosity and commitment to sharing tough lessons learned in cornfields, the school of hard knocks, with other growers who might benefit.
It’s why the world champion corn grower has unapologetically talked up the benefits of fungicide use this season to any farmer within earshot.
On Labor Day, in the process of starting corn harvest, Hula was still telling growers – especially those in the Midwest who have fields hammered by disease pressure – to consider spraying a fungicide now.
“If that milk line has only dropped a quarter and they’ve got three quarters left, there’s still a chance to influence the outcome,” he says. “I would not give up on that crop.”
Consider Growth Stage, Type Of Disease Present
Missy Bauer, Farm Journal Field Agronomist, zeros in on corn growth stage to guide uber-late-season fungicide applications.
“If I had a field that has no fungicide at all on it, and I had fairly heavy disease pressure from something like southern rust or tar spot, and I’m at early R4, I would still apply the fungicide. But that’s kind of about my breaking point,” she says on U.S. Farm Report.
As of Sunday, Aug. 31, the USDA Crop Progress Report said 90% of the U.S. corn crop had reached the R4 (dough) stage
Pioneer describes the R4 (dough) stage in corn as having kernel fluid that is thick/pasty, with the cob a pink or red color.
Other characteristics include:
- Kernel moisture is approximately 70%
- Husk leaves begin to turn brown on the edges.
- Just before R5, kernels begin to indent due to starch deposition and moisture loss.
- Stress during and beyond this stage will not result in kernel abortion but can reduce kernel weight.
Many Newer Hybrids Build Yield Later
Farmers have asked Bauer if they can apply a fungicide later still, into R5, and get a payback. Her response is to evaluate the environment, whether good weather conditions will be available to help finish the crop, and consider the type and severity of disease pressure.
“I do believe, when it comes to some of these diseases, especially southern rust and tar spot, that a little bit of a ‘Hail Mary’ pass can be effective,” Bauer says. “Is it going to be as effective as if you had done it timely? Well, no, you could have made more money doing it timely, but you’re still protecting bushels and gaining ROI at the end.”
One of the key reasons Bauer says a late fungicide application can still help is because new hybrids are often geared to add test weight late in the growing season via kernel depth.
“If you just do the math alone, and you say, ‘Well, I’ve got 90,000 kernels in a bushel versus 60,000 kernels in a bushel, that’s a 100-bushel difference per acre, so it’s giant. That’s why we always talk about trying to protect this corn crop to the end, because kernel depth and fill are so huge today.”
Hula adds that with the severe disease pressure in many Midwest fields, a fungicide application could also help keep corn crops standing until farmers can harvest them.
For more of Hula’s insights on the value of late-season fungicide use, check out his discussion on AgriTalk with Host Chip Flory:
