By Mike Orso
McHenry County and other northern Illinois farmers have an opportunity to learn the latest on some of the most effective ways to manage major crop plant diseases and weeds at an upcoming University of Illinois Extension (UIE) Agronomy Update. The in-person, free session takes place Wednesday, February 18 at 9:00 a.m. at the McHenry County Farm Bureau (MCFB) building in Woodstock.
“87% of our agricultural economic impact comes from crop production,” said Michele Aavang-Behrens, who helps lead UIE in McHenry and Lake Counties. “Agriculture remains a vital part of our local economy.”
The update will include presentations on the two factors that continue to result in much of the yield reduction when growing soybeans and corn. Illinois farmers grow the most soybeans in the nation and the state ranks second in corn production. One of two presenters, Steve Brand, UIE commercial agriculture specialist, plans to review the major fungal diseases affecting soybeans and field corn grown in Illinois last year, research results on each and some of the best ways they can be better managed.
“In corn, Southern Rust and Tar Spot were the two most common,” said Brand. “With soybeans, Red Crown Rot is an emerging disease that a lot of research is currently going into.”
Brand, who holds an undergraduate degree in biology from Illinois State University and a master’s degree in bioenergy from the University of Illinois, notes Red Crown Rot is a relatively new fungus that can cause significant crop damage, often mimicking Sudden Death Syndrome in soybeans.
“It can be easily confused, misdiagnosed,” said Brand. “Then spray applications wouldn’t have the correct effect on the disease for preventing its spread.”
Two yield-reducing corn fungal diseases also provide significant management challenges for northern Illinois farmers.
“Tar Spot, it’s everywhere at this point,” he said. “Southern Rust, last year was a big year for it. We had favorable conditions where it got blown up from the south. It doesn’t overwinter in Illinois.”
In addition to Brand’s presentation, UIE’s Aaron Hager, Ph.D., weed specialist and professor in the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s (UIUC) Department of Crop Sciences, plans to provide the latest on the increasing adaptability of weeds and continued evolution of herbicide resistance.
In particular, Hager calls the nettlesome weed waterhemp a “driver species” since it’s so widespread across Illinois and can decrease crop yields. He plans to review UIUC research on the extent of the so-called “Group 15” list of herbicides, the increasing problem of ineffectiveness and possible solutions to manage the challenge.
“The take home is, with Group 15 resistance, it’s probably more common than what people realize it is,” said Hager. “It has implications in both the corn growing years and soybean growing years since we use that group of herbicides in both those crops.”
The weed scientist, who holds advanced degrees in plant and soil science from Southern Illinois University (SIU) and Michigan State University, and holds a Ph.D. agronomy from UIUC, notes scientists from the school and SIU were the first to detect waterhemp resistance to glufosinate. It’s a widely used herbicide used to prevent the weed from causing major yield losses in soybeans and corn.
“30 years ago we had more herbicides that were effective to control it than we did that weren’t effective to control it,” said Hager. “Now, that’s completely flipped. And we don’t see any new products coming into the marketplace in the foreseeable future that’s going to alleviate this problem.”
Hager plans to provide some integrated weed management strategies essential for maintaining effective weed control in soybeans and field corn.
The presentations by Hager and Brand on Wednesday, February 18 will run from 9:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m. with a question-and-answer session starting at 11:00 a.m. There is no charge to attend. It takes place at the MCFB building located at 1102 McConnell Rd., Woodstock, Ill. Certified Crop Advisers can receive continuing education credits for participating. For more information, call (815) 338-3737.
Waterhemp can rapidly infest farm fields in Illinois and cause yield loss in soybeans and corn. “Illinois waterhemp populations have confirmed resistance to every foliar applied corn and soybean herbicide that previously was effective,” said Aaron Hager, Ph.D., University of Illinois Extension Weed Specialist. (Photo by Aaron Hager)
Aaron Hagar, Ph.D., works in extension and is also on the faculty at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). He’ll be in McHenry County for an extension agronomy update on Wednesday, February 18. (Photo by UIUC)
Steve Brand serves as a University of Illinois Extension commercial agriculture specialist and serves northern Illinois. He’ll be in McHenry County for an extension agronomy update on Wednesday February 18. (Photo by UIUC)
During time with Purdue University in Indiana, UIE’s Steve Brand witnessed Tar Spot causing significant yield loss in corn, cutting them by up to 40% in some areas. It was found in several Illinois counties last year, including McHenry County. “Every single year with that disease, it’s kind of a reset,” he said. “Tar Spot, in the right year and right conditions, can be extremely damaging.” (Photo by Steve Brand)