Special Report

Fungicide research determines best time to treat

The On-Farm Network is working to make fungicides more productive for farmers.  Tristan Mueller with the Iowa Soybean Association On Farm Network tells Brownfield Ag News that the ISA is working with Iowa State University’s Plant Pathology Department.

“We’re working to try to do a predictive tool [to determine] when it is more likely that you’ll need a fungicide,” said Mueller.

There are several key considerations, such as crop rotation history, past disease problems and weather that are inserted.  “Just put the probabilities into it,” said Mueller, “to [give the grower] more than just a gut feeling if you should spray or not.”

AUDIO: Tristan Mueller (4 min. MP3)