With as hot as it’s been in July, it’s hard to imagine Sclerotinia blight showing up in peanuts. I have been searching for it in my trials but haven’t seen it yet. However, highs in the low 80s and lows around 70 today through next week means conditions will be favorable for disease development. Plus, adequate soil moisture is present due to recent rains and peanut canopies are dense enough to favor Sclerotinia blight. I recommend monitoring the Virginia Sclerotinia Blight Advisory on the Peanut Cotton InfoNet to check the risk of this disease in your area and scout for disease, especially in fields with a history of Sclerotinia blight. Access the Peanut Cotton InfoNet using this link https://infonet.ext.vt.edu/. You can also call the VA Peanut Hotline at 1-800-795-0700 for up-to-date disease advisories.

At this point in the season I recommend fungicides Omega or Vantana tank-mixed with a leaf spot fungicide if you haven’t already applied Miravis + Elatus. I hesitate to recommend the first application of Miravis + Elatus this late in the season due to concerns about late leaf spot escapes as these products have no curative activity against leaf spot. You’re okay if it’s the second application. Fontelis at 1.5 pt/acre can provide some disease suppression if sprayed preventively.

Please contact me if you have questions.

David Langston. (757) 870-0498 cell email: dblangston@vt.edu