Tar Spot Disease Showing Up In Central Indiana Fields

From the desk of the Reynolds Agronomy Team:

This 2021 growing season has seen it’s many challenges. Disease pressure in corn is one that is rearing it’s ugly head as of late. Abnormally dry conditions are putting a lot of added stress to this corn crop. When corn is stressed it becomes vulnerable for diseases to attack and spread.

Grey Leaf Spot and Northern Leaf Blight had been the diseases up to this point infecting Central Indiana fields.
Earlier this week while scouting in Clinton, Hancock, Madison and Tipton Counties, we came across Tar Spot.

Tar Spot is a fairly new disease to Central Indiana. Tar Spot was first discovered in the Northwest corner of Indiana in 2015. It has since then quickly spread into several states and counties. We are still learning about this disease and the control measures we need to take to manage it. This year Tar Spot has infected fields much earlier than in prior years. There is not enough research out that shows the economical effects that Tar Spot will make on yield this late in the growing season.

As with any disease, we need to monitor the severity throughout the growing season and help growers make the best decisions on control measures.