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Mid-Season Defense: July Guide to Fungicide & Insect Scouting

by | Jun 30, 2025 | Seed & Fertilizer

Mid-Season Defense: Your July Guide to Fungicide & Insect Scouting

As we move into July, your crops are entering some of the most yield-defining stages of the season. That makes July the time to sharpen your in-season protection strategy, especially when it comes to disease pressure and insect threats.

At Kaup Seed & Fertilizer, our goal is simple: help you get the most out of every acre. Here’s what to watch for, and how to act early to protect your yield.

Corn Fungus: Early Detection is Key

Fungus pressure can ramp up fast in Nebraska’s July heat and humidity. Be especially alert for:

Tar Spot

  • What to Look For: Raised black spots (asphalt-like) on upper leaf surfaces. Often surrounded by light green halos.
  • Why It Matters: Once visible, infection is already 7–10 days old. Reduces photosynthetic area and increases lodging risk.

Goss’s Wilt

  • What to Look For: Water-soaked lesions, dark freckles, and shiny bacterial exudate on leaves. Leaves may look torn.
  • Why It Matters: Often mistaken for fungal infection. Bacterial—no fungicide control. Hybrid selection and residue management matter.

Common Rust & Southern Rust

  • What to Look For:
    • Common: Brick-red to brown pustules on both leaf surfaces.
    • Southern: Orange to tan spores, typically on upper leaf surfaces only.
  • Why It Matters: Southern rust progresses rapidly and thrives in hot, humid conditions.

 Soybean Disease: Be Ready to Act

July’s canopy growth and warm nights create ideal fungal conditions in soybeans. Keep an eye on:

White Mold

  • What to Look For: Black pustules known as sclerosha at stem base, often in dense canopy areas with poor airflow.
  • Why It Matters: Yield losses can exceed 30% if untreated.
  • Kaup’s Recommendation: Xylem Plus Systemic fungicide at R1 32oz to the acre

Frogeye Leaf Spot

  • What to Look For: Round lesions with gray centers and dark purple halos. Begins in the upper canopy.
  • Why It Matters: Can defoliate soybeans rapidly during pod fill

Downy Mildew

  • What to Look For: Pale yellow spots on leaf tops, gray mold underneath.
  • Why It Matters: Most harmful during flowering to early pod fill stages.



Recommended Fungicides: Veltyma® & Revytek® (BASF)

Both products offer long-lasting, broad-spectrum control with excellent plant health benefits.

Veltyma®

  • Best Fit: Corn
  • Strengths: Tar Spot and rust protection, extended residual, faster canopy penetration.
  • Timing: Apply between VT and R1 for optimal ROI.

Revytek®

  • Best Fit: Soybeans
  • Strengths: Powerful control of Frogeye, Downy Mildew and more. Enhances leaf health and canopy retention.
  • Timing: R1–R3 window, especially in tight-canopy or high-moisture fields.

Insects to Watch

Scouting is key. These pests can sneak in and damage yield quickly:

Corn Earworm: Direct ear and kernel damage. Check silks and ears during pollination.

Thistle Caterpillar: Skeletonized leaves and webbing, common in early-planted beans.

Stink Bug: Causes misshapen beans or kernels. Watch pod and ear zones in late July.


Scouting: Your First Line of Defense

Kaup’s scouting program offers weekly field visits, tissue sampling, irrigation scheduling (for probed acres), and early alerts for pests and diseases. That way, you can take action before problems get expensive.

Ready to Prep for Fungicide Season?

Whether you need boots-on-the-ground scouting, help picking the right fungicide, or application support, we’re here to walk the rows with you.

Call (402) 372-5588 or stop by the shed.

Let’s protect what you’ve built.