A wet forecast looms over Indiana the next several days. HAT Chief Meteorologist Ryan Martin is calling for a 4-day total of .5” to 2.5” of rain now through Sunday.
“That much rain and warm temperatures, it’s going to take a long time for those saturated soils to dry,” says Purdue Extension Corn Specialist Dr. Bob Nielsen. “And that’s prime territory for seedling diseases.”
Nielsen says with that wet and warmer forecast, he’s concerned about the crop that has been in the ground for three to five weeks that no longer has protection from the fungicidal seed treatments.
“I am scared that there’s going to be an outburst of seedling blight explode over the next seven days in some of these fields. I think folks are going to be surprised that today when they’re digging and are looking at them, technically they look healthy. I’m afraid that in a week’s time, there could be some real issues out there with seedling blight.”
Soybean specialist Dr. Shaun Casteel says the same can be said for soybeans.
“From phytophthora to pythium to everywhere in between, rhizoc (rhizoctonia), those are issues that come to my mind.”
More on this can be heard on the Purdue Crop Chat podcast with Nielsen and Casteel. Just click the play button below.