Disease severity is influenced by environmental conditions, and in 2024, current and anticipated weather events are expected to promote disease pressure.
La Niña and Disease Pressure
The anticipated La Niña weather pattern for 2024 will create ideal conditions for fungal diseases. La Niña is a weather phenomenon that alters the circulation patterns of the ocean and atmosphere. Some notable effects of La Niña in Central North America include heightened occurrence of hurricanes and storms, both in terms of quantity and intensity, and overall increase in precipitation. Increased moisture will heighten fungal activity and pathogen aggressiveness, while warming temperatures will shorten the incubation periods to promote earlier disease symptom onset.
The Plant Disease Triangle
For plant disease to occur, it requires a combination of three essential elements: susceptible host plants, presence of pathogens, and conducive environment (moisture, temperature).
Disease Severity Is Influenced By:
- The amount of initial inoculum (overwintering infected residue and seed)
- Crop stress caused by insect pests, drought, and heat
- The number of disease cycles within a season
- Favorable environmental conditions such as moisture (dew, rain, and high humidity) and warm temperatures
The severity of a disease can fluctuate with the intensity and diversity of these key influences. This is why variations in symptom severity are observed from one season to another.
Information is sourced from: Scholthof, KB. The disease triangle: pathogens, the environment and society. Nat Rev Microbiol 5, 152–156 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro1596. Disease triangle graphic was created by Kristin Leamnson, Liaison Design Group.
The Importance of Integrated Pest Management
Below is a list of best management practices to help mitigate the potential negative impacts of disease:
- Manage diseases season to season to prevent local inoculum buildup.
- Select disease-tolerant plant varieties that are specifically suited to your local geography.
- Crop rotation, tillage and planting date can significantly reduce disease pressure.
- Ensure timely application of fungicides to prevent repeating infections from ramping up.
- Consider row spacing and canopy density as they influence temperature and moisture, which can impact disease development.
BASF Fungicides: Consistent Performance & Disease Control
Diseases have a latent period and can cause destruction before you can even see any lesions. Just because you don’t see something doesn’t mean it isn’t there. Planned applications of BASF fungicides ensure protection from diseases before it’s too late.
Disease Infection Progression*
*Images shown are gray leaf spot in corn. BASF research trial. Plants grown in controlled conditions, 72ºF – 12 hour day length with 60% relative humidity. Grown for 21 days before being inoculated with gray leaf spot.
With the potential for heightened disease pressure in 2024, BASF fungicides, like Revytek® fungicide for soybeans and Veltyma® fungicide for corn, offer reliable solutions to protect your crops and maximize yield potential. Several key benefits of these brands include:
- Reduced plant stress across various environmental conditions.
- Long-lasting residual activity for extended protection.
- Broad-spectrum disease control with preventative and curative action.
- Consistent yield performance to safeguard your harvest potential.
Always read and follow label directions. Revytek and Veltyma are registered trademarks of BASF. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners and use of any such trademark does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by its owner. ©2024 BASF Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
