Episode 16 of Battle for the Belt is now available:
In Episode 16, we talk to Jenna Moore, a Ph.D. student working with Dr. Horacio Lopez-Nicora in the Soybean Pathology and Nematology Lab at Ohio State. Her research focuses on the impact of planting dates on soybean and corn seedling diseases.
The Battle for the Belt project structure provides a great opportunity to better understand how environmental conditions (e.g., rainfall, soil temperature, etc.) at different planting dates and soilborne pathogen diversity impact soybean and corn seedlings. Jenna Moore explains several methods used to isolate pathogens from seedlings and surrounding soil at the VE stage (emergence) for both crops. Soil baiting is a method used to isolate water molds (i.e., oomycetes), which includes common pathogens like Pythium and Phytophthora. A second method, seedling surface sterilization, and plating is used to isolate fungi (e.g., Fusarium, Rhizoctonia, etc.) and oomycetes from within seedlings. Isolates are then transferred to new plates to achieve pure culture for further molecular characterization to the species level.
Jenna and the lab have partnered with our team to conduct seedling assessments across different planting dates and the different sites for corn and soybean. Later, the relationship between the identified pathogens and the environmental conditions at each planting date will be evaluated. Preliminarily, we are seeing many Fusarium isolates collected from within seedlings at early planting dates. Molecular identification will provide confirmation in the coming months, and we are looking forward to sharing results towards the end of the summer.
Battle For the Belt Location Updates
We have officially finished planting! The final date was planted at the Wooster site on June 21st (Figure 1). The conditions were favorable since this was after a week of much-needed rain. Though we are facing cooler than normal, temperatures are still optimal, and the plants are advancing in the stage. The last planting date at Northwest and Western for corn and soybeans are V1 and VC stages now.
Planting date one (April 12) in soybeans has achieved flowering in some plots at the Northwest location (Figure 2), many early April planted soybeans will be reaching R1 in the next week or so. The R1 stage is an ideal time to be scouting for disease pressure. Though the state has seen a dry spell, the incoming storms have the potential to create an environment for diseases to develop and grow. For example, cool and wet weather is the right environment for frogeye leaf spot to grow as well as white mold. Something to note is that Northwestern Ohio has had white mold in the last couple of years.
Planting dates two, three, and four in soybeans at the Northwest research station are V5, V4, and V2/V1. The corn is progressing well with planting date one at V8, planting date two at V7, planting date three at V6, and planting date four at V4.
At the Western research station for corn, planting dates one, two, three, and four are at V8, V7, V6, and V5, and for the soybeans, V5, V4, V3, and V1. The corn roots have not fully recovered from the floppy corn syndrome in planting dates one and two at this location. This condition was not seen at the other locations.
At the Wooster site, planting dates one, two, three, and four were V4,
V3, V2, and VC in soybeans. The corn stages are as follows for planting
dates one, two, three, and four: V7, V6, V5, and V3.
Location |
Planting date |
2-inch soil temperature (at planting) |
Air Temperature (at planting) |
Wooster, Wayne |
June 21 |
70°F |
71°F |
Western, Clark County |
June 8 |
69°F |
63°F |
Northwest, |
June 8 |
64°F |
63°F |
Location |
2-inch soil temperature |
Air Temperature (June 19-June 25) |
Planting date |
GDDs (Cumulative) |
Precipitation (Inches) |
Wooster, Wayne County |
Max: 74°F Mean: 71°F Minimum: 67°F |
Max: 84°F Mean: 69°F Minimum: 58°F |
April 14th April 27th May 11th May 30th |
708 645 592 398 |
0.17” |
Western, Clark County |
Max: 78°F Mean: 70°F |
Max: 89°F Mean: 70°F Minimum: 60°F |
April 13th April 27th May 11th May 25th |
923 837 753 559 |
0.17” |
Northwest, |
Max: 71°F Mean: 70°F |
Max: 88°F Mean: 72°F |
April 12th April 26th May 11th May 25th |
889 795 728 559 |
0.82” |
As a recap, this research project includes five planting date windows, 1) Ultra early = late March to early April; 2) Early = mid to late April; 3) Normal = early to mid-May; 4) Late = late May-first week of June; and 5) Very late = mid to late June. All locations have all five planting dates completed now. Stay tuned for results to learn what yielded best.
Keep following the ‘Battle for the Belt’ this growing season to learn more and get further updates! You can find the full video playlist of Battle for the Belt on the Ohio State Agronomy YouTube channel.