Fusarium is an early-onset disease that stays hidden during most of the growing season and can cause headaches during harvest. Although there is no specific cure for Fusarium, there are steps you can take to protect your corn crop.
What is Fusarium?
Fusarium affects corn and many other crops across the country.Mold is the cause
Fusarium vertyloides.
“Once it’s in the soil, it’s very difficult to remove,” says Dan Mitchell, an agronomist at LG Seeds. Fusarium infects crops early and its ultimate impact depends in part on the health of the crop.
Wet and cold weather early in the season makes corn more vulnerable to Fusarium infections and other diseases. “When it comes to Fusarium, he rarely takes on just one issue at a time,” Mitchell explains. “Diseases tend to transmit each other.”
Planting in cold, wet soil can lead to red mold infections that can cause problems such as crown rot and ear rot later in the season, warns Dan Mitchell, agronomist at LG Seeds.
Fusarium symptoms usually appear later in the season. “Typically, the lower leaves die slowly from the bottom up,” Mitchell explains. “Yellowing occurs and the plant looks sickly, as if it has been frosted.”
Farmers may not notice the problem until stem rot or ear rot appears late in the season. Mitchell said depending on the timing of impact, red rot crown rot can lead to corn lodging, drydown problems and reduced test weight.
Fusarium can also cause grain quality problems such as ear rot and fumonisin contamination. These mycotoxins can adversely affect the health of livestock and humans. “If you know you have severe ear rot, harvest your grain early and store it separately to avoid contaminating the entire container,” Mitchell advises.
Planting considerations
Fusarium infections tend to occur in cool, moist environments early in the season. Therefore, Mitchell advises: “Don’t plant too early in cold soil; struggling plants are more vulnerable.”
Also avoid overly aggressive seeding populations. “Higher populations put more stress on the plants themselves. Spacing the plants more widely will result in healthier and thicker stems,” he explains. “A good rule of thumb is to plant 30,000 to 35,000 seeds per acre, depending on soil capacity.
“By using seed treatments and doing everything we can to keep our plants healthy, we can reduce the chances of infection and increase the chances that our hybrids will survive the disease,” continues Mitchell. “The same is true for the use of fungicides. These help keep corn plants healthy and protected from other problems, making them more likely to tolerate fusarium.”
Mitchell says there is no pure genetic resistance to Fusarium, but there is some resistance. hybrid Characteristics such as good initial vigor and early emergence make them naturally more resistant. Taking advantage of pest-resistant traits can also be helpful. “Anything you can do to protect your ears from insects, especially parasites, will help,” he continues. “Open wounds in the kernels can be a route for infection.”
Crop rotation and residue management
Because Fusarium overwinters, the risk of infection is higher in corn-on-corn acres and fields with limited or no tillage. “Switch to soy if possible,” Mitchell advises.
“Residue management is especially important when you have acres of corn and corn,” Mitchell says. “Residues will need to be tended to or even buried in the fall.”
Regarding no-till acres, Mitchell reminds us that this is a management system that comes with unique concerns compared to traditional tillage systems. “Managing that residue is important to protect against Fusarium and other diseases,” he says.
“They say this is a Fusarium world, but we’re just living in it,” Mitchell says. “While there is no magic pill to deal with Fusarium, farmers can limit the risk of plant infection and keep plants healthy, making them more resistant to infection.”
Source: LG Seeds