Crop scouts and field researchers now have a new tool at their disposal to help correctly estimate disease severity and insect defoliation in field crops. The new online tool has been developed by the Crop Protection Network and can be…

Problem In response to the Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent in Butler County (Gregory K Drake), we visited a soybean field that had plants cut off or lodged at 1 to 3 inches above ground (Figure 1). This field, which…

In parts of the state where wet weather has continued through the season so far, one of the diseases being observed is Phytophthora root and stem rot, which is caused by the oomycete (aka water mold) pathogen Phytophthora sojae. This…

Southern rust of corn, caused by the fungus Puccinia polysora, was confirmed in Caldwell and Daviess counties in Kentucky on July 20, 2020. We typically confirm southern rust in Kentucky in mid-July, so the timing of these findings is on…

As soybean fields in Kentucky approach the R3 (beginning pod) developmental stage, it generally is a time to consider an application of a foliar fungicide to protect against foliar diseases.  In areas of the state that have received frequent rainfall,…

Corn is moving through growth stages quickly, and the warm, humid weather in many parts of Kentucky has been conducive for foliar disease development. Fungicides are commonly promoted to reduce the impact of foliar disease in corn, but with tight…

As the rains fall, environmental conditions become favorable for leaf diseases of soybean.  Currently, there are a couple of foliar diseases of soybean that can be observed in fields in Kentucky, which are Septoria brown spot and Phyllosticta leaf spot.…

Problem An absence of rains for almost 2 weeks in western Kentucky allowed the increase in populations of some secondary pests in field corn. One of these insects is the corn flea beetle. Commercial and experimental corn fields have been…

Problem During the second week of June 2020, I noticed some soybean fields with thrips feeding.Soybeans usually are not heavily impacted by thrips and plants recover. Later that week, the Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory at the University of Kentucky’s Research…

There is renewed interest in early vegetative stage (V-stage) fungicide applications in corn this year in Kentucky, especially those occurring at the four to six leaf collar (V4-V6) growth stages. Some of this interest is driven by the wet spring…

Many wheat producers in the state have already sprayed a fungicide to help protect against Fusarium head blight (scab).  However, some fields in the state were just nearing the beginning flowering stage (Feekes growth stage 10.51) when the May 9th…

Weather this spring has challenged corn farmers in Kentucky. Temperature swings and frequent rainfall have led to a wide range of corn growth stages, with some corn in early vegetative stages and some corn still in the bag. The cool,…

When wheat heads begin to flower, it is a critical time, as wheat becomes susceptible to infection by Fusarium graminearum, the causal agent of Fusarium head blight (FHB; also known as scab) (Figure 1). This disease can cause reduced grain yield, test…