By Brian Hefty
Before we talk about the best corn fungicides based on your situation, let me hit you with some good news. First, fungicide prices on average are down again in 2021. Second, there are rebate programs to lower your cost even further.
Third, with corn prices up, the ROI for a corn fungicide could be double or triple what it was last year. With all that said, this should be a good year to use one of the products on the next page, assuming we get decent moisture throughout the growing season.
WHILE THERE ISN’T ONE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION OF WHICH FUNGIDICE IS BEST, HERE ARE A FEW THINGS TO CONSIDER.
AT PLANT, SEASON-LONG CONTROL
The new Xyway fungicide from FMC can be used with your planter so you can save a trip later on in the year. I know this seems a little hard to believe, but when you look at the data, it’s actually pretty good compared to spraying a fungicide at tassel time. Xyway is a triazole with the same active ingredient as TopGuard, which we love. Xyway runs about $14 per acre for the full rate, but we are offering a $2 per acre rebate on Xyway if you purchase Hefty or Zinesto soybeans.
INEXPENSIVE, YET SUPER-EFFECTIVE
Fortix from UPL contains the same active ingredients as TopGuard (triazole) and Evito (strobilurin similar to Headline & Quadris). We have used Fortix for years with great success in both corn and soybeans, so we highly recommend it, especially considering this year’s price of $7 per acre. Yes, only $7 per acre for the full rate of a fantastic, two-mode of action fungicide.
BAYER PROGRAM
If you are in the Bayer Plus Program, you should consider using Delaro and/or Delaro Complete. Since the rebate could be as much as $5 per acre, that puts your cost in the $8 to $13 range for Delaro and $12 to $17 for Delaro Complete. Delaro contains the active ingredients found in Proline (triazole) and Gem (strobilurin similar to Headline & Quadris). Delaro Complete has the same components as Delaro, plus an SDHI – so in total, that’s three modes of action. The SDHI adds more disease control, more residual, and less chance for resistance issues. What I really like about both of these products is the Proline. In our experience, Proline and TopGuard have been by far the best triazole products in the last few years. The problem has always been they have been too expensive, but not this year.
One last Bayer product I should mention is Stratego YLD, as it costs $6 to $12 for the full rate, depending on your Bayer Plus rebate level. Stratego YLD has a lower level of Proline and more Gem compared to Delaro, so that’s why we usually prefer Delaro.
BASF OPTIONS
In the eastern Corn Belt, Headline AMP (Headline plus Caramba) has been the most popular fungicide for many years. My number one complaint was also price, but now the full rate is down to $15 per acre. BASF’s new product, Veltyma, has looked great in trials. Like Headline AMP, it has two modes of action, a strobilurin (Headline), and a triazole (Revysol). BASF talks about their Revysol active having a broader spectrum, stronger activity, and longer residual. If you want to check out yield data from farms across the country, we encourage you to go to
revxfield.com. Veltyma is the most expensive fungicide in corn today at $21 per acre, but with the corn price up, it should still pay in most situations.
OTHER CHOICES:
- Trivapro
While this has been a good three-mode-of-action product, it contains the actives found in Quadris and Tilt, along with an SDHI. Since we prefer Proline, TopGuard, and Revysol over Tilt, that’s why we usually lean toward one of the other fungicides rather than Trivapro at $16
- Miravis Neo
In our opinion, a step up over Trivapro because while it also contains Quadris and Tilt, it has a different SDHI component. The SDHI is also found in the new seed treatment for sudden death syndrome in soybeans called Saltro. Miravis Neo runs $16 per acre, also.
- Lucento
If you are trying to get away from the strobilurin family found in almost every other fungicide premix, Lucento is a great way to go. Lucento features TopGuard (triazole) and an SDHI. We also love Lucento in soybeans, where it doesn’t create the “green stem” issue most other fungicides cause. Lucento for the full rate is around $12 per acre, but we are offering a $2 per acre rebate off that if you purchase Hefty or Zinesto soybeans.