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Now is the time for Maize Eyespot control

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Eyespot has become a critical disease of forage maize with the potential to reduce yield by more than 50%. During the last 3 seasons, it has become more prevalent in maize within the South West of England, and is now spreading across Southern England and into South Wales.

Maize becomes more prone to infection with summer temperatures ranging from 10 to 12C along with strong winds battering the leaf and sustained dampness over long periods of time.

According to Graham Ragg, Mole Valley’s Arable and Fertiliser Sales Manager, dairy and beef farmers should watch certain fields carefully. ‘Maize fields, where trash from previous maize crops, or fields next to crops where the trash from previous years has not been buried by ploughing, are most at risk.’ He added.

Previous to the last 3 years of extremely damp summer months, the disease could attack the crop one to two weeks before harvest. Generally the advice then would be to take the crop off as quickly as possible and ensile it to prevent spread of infection. However, with recent extreme wet summers experienced, the disease can attack the crop at a much earlier stage, sometimes up to 2 months before harvest, before the maize cobs have properly filled.

The symptoms start with tiny yellow lesions in a brown margin known as ‘eyespots’ and when held up to the light the leaf lesions are transparent. If the conditions remain cold, wet and windy, the spots multiply rapidly and grow to join up with each other, giving the appearance of a brown, papery, dead leaf. Once the leaf area has been lost, grain fill will cease and yield will suffer dramatically.

2009 season saw the introduction of a ‘SOLA’ (Specific off Label Approval) for the use of Comet fungicide for maize use. ‘Farmers who used Comet last year were very pleased with the results of this protectant and curative properties of this strobilurin based fungicide.’, commented Graham.

One customer particularly delighted with the results on a continuous maize system is Mole Valley Farmer Shareholder, Simon Foote who farms in partnership with his wife Caroline and sons, James and Robert Foote on a 250 head dairy unit at Chynoweth Farm, St Allen near Truro. The 440 acre holding has 78 acres in maize including fields with a continuous crop of maize for the past 10 years.

Commenting, Simon Foote said, ‘Without eyespot control, our maize crop could be a disaster in this part of the country. The farm is exposed to quite a bit of rain and wind. Maize growers in this part of Cornwall are pretty aware of the risks of eyespot. You just can’t take the risk. Unless the leaves are tackled at an early stage, there can be a lot of destruction including the cob which cripples the crop. We can’t afford to lose acreage in this way.

He added, ‘We’ve been working with Graham for 4 years now and he is extremely thorough in controlling eyespot and providing sensible advice on maize crop production.’

Traditional methods of control such as deep ploughing to bury trash after harvest and crop rotation where possible will help disease control. However with the increased popularity of maize in livestock diets and the increased acreage being grown on farm, preventative fungicides should be considered in high risk situations.

The fungicide spray is best applied before the disease is seen in the crop from the 10 leaf stage of the crop, when the crop is approximately 4 feet 6 inches high. A high clearance sprayer will ensure a minimal amount of damage due to wheelings on the straight rows with only some damage on the headlands when turning occurring.

In summing up the eyespot risk, Graham Ragg said, ‘When you consider that most winter wheat growers are now using 3 or 4 fungicides during the crop’s life to control disease, the one fungicide for maize is a sound investment in protecting this valuable crop.’

If you would like more information on the control of Maize Eyespot, please contact Graham Ragg, Mole Valley Farmers on 07798 583667.

Mole Valley Farmers was started in 1960 by a small group of farmers in South Molton, Devon. Today, it is one of the largest employers in the South West, with a turnover of 243 million and more than 1,400 staff. Mole Valley Farmers is one of the few farmer owned businesses, acting as a co-operative in the supply industry, with a total commitment to the farming industry.

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