Field observations, research, disease-monitoring updates and practical crop-protection intelligence from the Spornado network.
We’re excited to share a new video and feature story highlighting the journey behind Spornado and the growing importance of early disease detection in agriculture. The feature explores how Spornado…
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Tar spot (Phyllachora maydis) continues to be one of the most closely watched corn diseasesacross the U.S. Corn Belt. This season, Spornado samplers detected airborne tar spot sporesas early as…
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Tar spot continues to be a growing concern for Ontario corn growers, and 2025 has been no exception. This year, the disease followed a pattern similar to previous seasons—first appearing…
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California agriculture is entering a new phase in pest management. The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) is rolling out a Pesticide Prioritization Process as part of its Sustainable Pest…
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As global agriculture faces increasing pressures, from rising input costs to the need for sustainable resource use, farmers are finding new ways to adapt. Insights from McKinsey’s Global Farmer Insights…
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Tar Spot, a devastating disease affecting corn crops, continues to challenge farmers across North America. With the recent surge in cases, understanding the disease’s impact and evaluating management strategies is…
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Using molecular diagnostics to identify fungal spores provides several benefits over traditional microscopic analysis. The main advantage is accuracy of identification and species differentiation. Species level identification is not generally…
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Many significant fungal diseases that affect the most commercially important crops are dispersed via the air as part of their reproductive cycle. The practice of air sampling and spore trapping…
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Fungicides are an essential tool in agriculture, but their use can have negative impacts on the environment and even the crops they are designed to help. One environmental risk of…
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“Why did the potato go on a date with the tomato? Because it wanted to ‘ketchup’!” Potato and tomato are not only a great pairing to eat, but they are…
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