Shop online & get crop protection delivered direct.
As you start to think about using fungicide and insecticide applications this year to combat disease and pests, you’ll want to consider the best ways to get the most out of your spray applications.
Here are five key tips to keep in mind when applying insecticides and fungicides:
Insect development can be tied to growing degree days (GDD), which are a measurement of heat accumulation over time. This is helpful in years where days are hotter than previous years and result in an acceleration of insect pressure and more opportunities for pests to affect yield potential by causing damage to roots and foliage.
The GDD for first generation adult bean leaf beetles are 1,212 degree days. Knowing the degree days can help develop increased awareness and scouting practices as your farm gets closer to these critical GDD.
See growing degree units by uploading your planting data and unlocking this feature on your free FBN® account.
Typical crop scouting of walking fields every seven days can help to identify patterns of increased pest or disease pressure. Knowing the economic threshold of specific pests can build confidence in determining when the time is right to make an insecticide application.
Fungicides can be segmented into two camps: curative or preventive.
Preventive activity happens when the fungicide is present in the leaf tissue but before initial infection occurs. Applications with a Group 11 fungicide, such as GCS Azoxy 2SC, can help create a protective barrier before plant diseases are present.
A curative fungicide stops the early growth of the fungal pathogen after infection, the first step of the disease cycle, has occurred. Most curative fungicides are also preventive if applied prior to infection. Despite their name, curative fungicides will NOT cure a plant of the disease; they are not effective against advanced disease cycles. A Group 3 fungicide such as Willowood Propicon 3.6EC is considered to be a curative fungicide.
GCS Azoxy 2SC and Willowood Propicon 3.6EC can be tank mixed together to provide a one tank mix solution that's both preventive and curative.
The performance and benefits of a fungicide application such as GCS Azoxy 2SC and Willowood Propicon 3.6EC are optimized at ideal times in the crop cycle. Soybeans, for example, would be in the R3 stage to get the most benefit.
Consider adding Willowood Lambda-Cy 1EC* to your fungicide application. Insect feeding creates an entry point for fungal diseases to spread, so if you’ve got bugs, hammer them at the same time by adding an insecticide to your tank mix and keep them from spreading into other fields.
Make the most of your fungicide and insecticide applications by using adjuvants and crop nutrition products. Adjuvants help increase performance of the product through multiple functions. Insecticides need to be applied on contact while the key component of fungicides is to be absorbed into the plant. Farmers First™ adjuvants can help aid in coverage and absorption.
Find the right adjuvant pairing to your crop protection products with the FBN Adjuvant Product Guide. Many growers leverage the fungicide application with the use of Nourish Vitals™, which aids in plant uptake.
Find the products you need to maximize plant health and yield this season at FBN with our diverse crop protection and crop nutrition product portfolio, seamless online ordering, and 3-day direct to farm shipping on your schedule.
Knowing the products you need ahead of time gives you flexibility to ensure you are making the best purchasing decision for your operation. Did you recently make a chem purchase from your local retailer? Upload your non-FBN invoice to unlock price transparency and see what the current market price is for the products you're planning to use this season.
© 2014 - 2025 Farmer's Business Network, Inc. All rights Reserved. The sprout logo, “Farmers Business Network”, “FBN”, "Farmers First", “FBN Direct” , "F2F", and "F2F Genetics Network" are trademarks or registered trademarks of Farmer's Business Network, Inc.
*Lambda-Cy 1EC is a restricted use pesticide.
*RESTRICTED USE PESTICIDE Due to acute toxicity. For retail sale to and use by certified applicators only – NOT to be used by uncertified persons working under the supervision of a certified applicator.
FBN Direct products and services and other products distributed by FBN Direct are offered by FBN Inputs, LLC and are available only in states where FBN Inputs, LLC is licensed and where those products are registered for sale or use, if applicable. If applicable, please check with your local extension service to ensure registration status. Nothing contained on this page, including the prices listed should be construed as an offer for sale, or a sale of products. All products and prices are subject to change at any time and without notice and excludes CA mills tax and MN ACRRA fees. Terms and conditions apply.
ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW LABEL DIRECTIONS. It is a violation of federal and state law to use any pesticide product other than in accordance with its label. The distribution, sale and use of an unregistered pesticide is a violation of federal and/or state law and is strictly prohibited. We do not guarantee the accuracy of any information provided on this page or which is provided by us in any form. It is your responsibility to confirm prior to purchase and use that a product is labeled for your specific purposes, including, but not limited to, your target crop or pest and its compatibility with other products in a tank mix and that the usage of a product is otherwise consistent with federal, state and local laws. We reserve the right to restrict sales on a geographic basis in our sole discretion. You must have a valid applicator license to use restricted use pesticides. Please consult your state department of agriculture for complete rules and regulations on the use of restricted use pesticides, as some products require specific record-keeping requirements.
All product suggestions and other information provided is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for consulting the product label or for specific agronomic, business,or professional advice. Where specific advice is necessary or appropriate, consult with a qualified advisor. Neither Farmer's Business Network Inc. nor any of its affiliates makes any representations or warranties, express or implied, as to the accuracy or completeness of the statements or any information contained in the material and any liability therefore is expressly disclaimed.