Disease management can start with hybrid selection. That’s just one of the take-home lessons in episode 12 of Corn College TV season 2.
“Especially in corn-on-corn, farmers needs to be on top with their management of hyrbids’ susceptibility to diseases,” says Farm Journal Field Agronomist Ken Ferrie. “It doesn’t eliminate that hybrid from your planting portfolio but you do have to be mindful of how you manage your risks.”
Ferrie says to select the hybrid that works in your system, including crop rotation, tillage practices, scouting program and more.
“And you may need to rotate those genetics to not express their weaknesses and not to build inoculant in the field,” he says.
Use your field histories and scouting notes from 2011 and further back to help make smarter hybrid choices in 2012.
Ken walks through a demonstration in this episode of Corn College TV.
