By BASF

Would you be OK with disease spreading through your crop unchecked and untreated for 2-3 weeks? Of course not. But if you rely on field scouting alone for corn disease identification, that may be exactly what’s happening.

Corn Disease Latent Period

Microscopy images from BASF reveal that as many as 19 days can pass from the first gray leaf spot infection to visible corn leaf disease identification. Tar spot also has a long latent period; it can take 14-20 days before signs are visible.

The latent period is the time between disease infection and reproduction. During the latent period, disease invades crop tissue, produces toxins, and reduces productivity. All corn and soybean diseases have a latent period and can cause widespread destruction before you can spot a lesion.

Colorized scanning electron microscopy photos taken each after inoculation day to show disease invasion that the naked eye can’t detect.

By the time early signs of disease in corn are seen with the naked eye, significant damage has already occurred in the plant and the disease is aggressively spreading throughout the field. Taking a wait-and-see approach to corndisease management can result in plant damage and potentially significant yield loss.

Improve Yield with Proactive Application

Growers constantly take calculated risks to maximize yields and minimize costs. Deciding when to spray or how long to wait — or deciding if a fungicide application is even necessary — often comes down to visual cues, and sometimes those bets don’t pay off.

Growers have the power to change things for the better. The proof to be proactive instead of reactive. Just because you don’t see something doesn’t mean it isn’t there. Planned applications of BASF Plant Health fungicides, like Veltyma^® fungicide, ensure protection from diseases before it’s too late.