In part one of this two-part series, Stephanie Porter, CCA, breaks down the pros and cons of drone fungicide applications—and what farmers need to consider before taking flight.

While a wet spring has delayed planting for many Illinois farmers, Stephanie Porter, CCA, says there’s still time to maximize yield potential by prioritizing corn first, adjusting soybean populations and management, and making strategic in-season decisions as conditions allow.

Early in the growing season, many factors often reduce soybean plant stands - freezing temperatures, hail, slugs, disease, etc. A soybean field with poor seedling vigor, slow plant growth, and low plant stand often triggers an “I need to fix this” impulse; however, these fields don’t always need to be replanted.