Will Tar Spot Overwinter In Northern Illinois?

Nov 06, 2015

By Russel Higgins

In earlier posts we shared that Tar spot, specifically caused by Phyllachora maydis, had been confirmed in Illinois. We are now trying to determine if the fungus will survive our winter months. A trial was established in cooperation with Dr. Santiago Mideros, University of Illinois plant pathologist. Corn leaves exhibiting Tar spot symptoms were collected and placed in mesh bags. Samples will be left both on the soil surface and buried to emulate corn residue incorporated by tillage. Next spring the samples will be collected and the survivability of the pathogen determined.

Despite the November date, our recent mild weather pattern has prevented our soil temperatures from dropping below 50 degrees. The November 4th Soil temperature measured under bare soil at the NIARC was 54.5 degrees. Current University of Illinois recommendations encourage fall applications of anhydrous ammonia to take place after the soil temperature at 4 inches reaches 50 degrees and is falling.

Source: illinois.edu

Video: EP 73 Diversity is Resiliency – Stories of Regeneration Part 6

During the growing season of 2023 as summer turned into fall, the Rural Routes to Climate Solutions podcast and Regeneration Canada were on the final leg of the Stories of Regeneration tour. After covering most of the Prairies and most of central and eastern Canada in the summer, our months-long journey came to an end in Canada’s two most western provinces around harvest time.

This next phase of our journey brought us to Cawston, British Columbia, acclaimed as the Organic Farming Capital of Canada. At Snowy Mountain Farms, managed by Aaron Goddard and his family, you will find a 12-acre farm that boasts over 70 varieties of fruits such as cherries, apricots, peaches, plums, pears, apples, and quince. Aaron employs regenerative agriculture practices to cultivate and sustain living soils, which are essential for producing fruit that is not only delicious but also rich in nutrients.