Things to consider for 2016 planting

The warm weather this winter to date is going to add some things to consider for the coming season. The first is that more inoculum of the fungi that cause frogeye leaf spot and brown spot on soybean and gray leaf spot and northern leaf blight on corn will survive on crop residue. Approximately 25 to 30% of Ohio’s soybeans are in continuous soybean production and a significant number of corn acres are also in continuous corn production. Now is a good time to review where these diseases occurred in 2015 and be sure to take care in selecting varieties and hybrids with high levels of resistance to these pathogens.