By JEFF BURBRINK
Extension Educator, Agriculture & Natural Resources – Horticulture and Crops
Purdue Extension Elkhart County

ELKHART — Every so often, a new plant disease comes to town. Some of them promise to be plant killers and end up fairly benign. Others, like tar spot on corn, can knock crop yields for a big loop.

2019 was the area’s second year to face tar spot. In fact, the western side of Elkhart County and the eastern portion of St. Joseph County was referred to “Tar Spot Ground Central” at a meeting I attended a few weeks ago. Corn growers commonly said they lost 20% of their yield, with a few fields nearing 50% by some estimates.

It does not appear tar spot will be going away, so we need to learn to manage it. I have asked Darcy Telenko, Purdue’s Field Crop Disease Specialist, to come to speak from 1-3 p.m. Wednesday, March 18. Telenko spent many hours surveying fields and conducting trials on the management of tar spot this summer. We will learn about the disease, how it over-winters and what are currently thought to be the best management practices.

I have also asked Darcy to say a few words about the use of fungicides on field crops. For corn and bean growers, fungicides are a relatively new tool. Do not make the mistake of thinking fungicides are like insecticides or herbicides, where one pass can often fix the problem. Vegetable and fruit growers have been working with fungicides for years, and we can learn from their experience how to use them to our advantage.

The meeting will be held at Weaver Ag and Lawn, located at SR 19 and Nelson Parkway in Wakarusa. The Farm Bureau, Inc. organization in the area has offered to serve sandwiches at noon. For a headcount, we ask that you call the Purdue Extension – Elkhart County office, (574) 533-0554, by Monday, March 16.