University of Wisconsin-Madison Professor and Ext. Field Crops Pathologist (corn, soy, wheat, alfalfa)
Madison, WI
Joined September 2012
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Damon L. Smith retweeted
Modernizing data reporting in agricultural science: A framework for transparent, reproducible, and artificial intelligence‐ready research | Agronomy Journal acsess.onlinelibrary.wiley.c… @WISoyCheckoff #NCSRP funded @badgercropdoc @WiscWeeds @Tatianesevero16 @ColetFabiano @AgstatGR
Damon L. Smith retweeted
Can LLMs automate data extraction in agronomic meta‐analyses? A feasibility study on cover crops and soybean yield | Agronomy Journal acsess.onlinelibrary.wiley.c… @badgercropdoc @Tatianesevero16 @ColetFabiano @AgstatGR @WISoyCheckoff #NCSRP funded
Damon L. Smith retweeted
2026 Wisconsin Soybean Performance Trials @badgercropdoc @badgercropguy @WISoyCheckoff badgercropnetwork.com/2026-w…
Damon L. Smith retweeted
Feeding the World? We Can’t Even Grade Our Beans! badgercropnetwork.com/feedin…
Damon L. Smith retweeted
Foliar Fungicide Efficacy and Environmental Influences in Crop Disease Management.
This new @PlantDiseaseJ article is published at apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/a….
From @MorganGoodnight @mizuno_monica @NabinKDangal @DTelenko @dsmuelle +others.
ALT Infographic showing how various aspects of the environment impact fungicide.
Damon L. Smith retweeted
A pathologist team is conducting high intensity fungicide and biological fungicide efficacy trials in 7 states through North Central Soybean Research Program funding. Decision and ROI tools will help farmers with fungicide applications. #SoyCheckoff bit.ly/4jTgREd
Damon L. Smith retweeted
Just published: "Crop protection network and a decade of building infrastructure for collaborative extension" at academic.oup.com/jipm/articl….
@cropdoc08 @badgercropdoc @MartinChilvers1 @dsmuelle @NDSUcerealpath @AlbertTenuta @cropdisease @travisfaske @EntsocAmerica @plantdisease
Damon L. Smith retweeted
All these beans are from a single plant in central Iowa. Seed quality issues abound in 2026.
badgercropnetwork.com/poor-s…
crops.extension.iastate.edu/…
@badgercropdoc @badgerbean @dsmuelle @BisonBeanDoc @DylanMangel @MandyBish1 #soybean #harvest26
ALT Poor quality soybean seed with discoloration and mold in a person's hand.
Damon L. Smith retweeted
Fungi that cause ear rots can continue to grow, spread, and produce mycotoxins after corn reaches maturity and during storage if grain is not dry.
Wet grain can deteriorate quickly in a harvest truck or grain bin, especially under warm post-harvest conditions, leading to increased mycotoxin levels. Proper storage at low moisture levels can significantly reduce the risk of mycotoxin development.
High-temperature drying effectively stops fungal growth and mycotoxin production. However, it will not reduce existing mycotoxins levels already present in the grain. Quick drying at high temperatures is preferable to slow drying with low temperatures. Exercise caution when using low-temperature, in-bin dryers for moldy corn, and ensure proper airflow and ventilation when storing dry corn to maintain grain quality.
A good post-harvest drying target for storing grain is 15.0 to 15.5 percent moisture. This moisture level is sufficient for short-term storage over the winter. Additionally, cooling the grain to below 55°F (13°C) will slow the growth of fungi and inhibit insect activity.
Read more at cropprotectionnetwork.org/pu….
@travisfaske @baldpathologist @MartinChilvers1 @alisonrISU @ppp_trey @badgercropdoc @AlbertTenuta @MandyBish1 @MahDuffeck @maddishires @DTelenko @ncga #corn #harvest26
ALT Corn inside a grain bin.
Damon L. Smith retweeted
“Cultivar resistance remains the most effective SDS management strategy, with seed treatments providing significant benefits under high disease pressure."
From the @PlantDiseaseJ article "Evaluating the Effectiveness of Integrated Strategies to Manage Sudden Death Syndrome of Soybean: Supplementing SDS-Resistant and -Susceptible Cultivars with Chemical and Biological Seed Treatments" doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-07-25-1… by Madison Kessler @NabinKDangal @MartinChilvers1 @febina_m @badgercropdoc @DTelenko @AlbertTenuta @BisonBeanDoc @dsmuelle @rodrigobonofre +more
@KsSoybean #soybean #SDS #USSoy
Damon L. Smith retweeted
Ear rot issues during #harvest26?
It's critical to ID ear rots in field as many of the fungi responsible for ear rots produce mycotoxins, which can harm livestock and humans. Grain contaminated with mycotoxins can be difficult to market and may be docked in price.
For more info, check out An Overview of Ear Rots at cropprotectionnetwork.org/pu….
@alisonrISU @MandyBish1 @MartinChilvers1 @travisfaske @ppp_trey @badgercropdoc @DTelenko @BorisCamiletti @baldpathologist #corn
ALT Corn ear with white mold on kernels.
ALT Corn ear with green mold on kernels and sprouting kernels.
ALT Corn ear with green mold on kernels.
Damon L. Smith retweeted
Fusarium stalk rot causes shredded pith that may be tan to light pink. Brown streaks may be observed on the lower internodes.
The fungi overwinter in corn residue, other dead plant residue, and in corn seed.
Resistance to Fusarium stalk rot is available. Rotation and tillage will reduce inoculum.
@DTelenko @badgercropdoc @MandyBish1 @MartinChilvers1 @maddishires @alisonrISU @baldpathologist @alabamaED @travisfaske @ppp_trey @cropdoc08 #corn
ALT Illustration of the Fusarium stalk rot disease cycle demonstrating how the fungus overwinters in corn residue, is spread and infects the plant, and develops within the plant.
ALT Split corn stalk showing degraded pith tissue and pink mold.
ALT Three split stalks on a blue background showing pith that has rotted.
Damon L. Smith retweeted
New #corn disease reported in #Michigan, scouting encouraged in the #GreatLakes. Hear more about its discovery and what to look for in our interview with @MSUEFieldCrops @MSU_PSM @MartinChilvers1 @CropNetwork @brownfield #agnews #TopStory brownfieldagnews.com/news/ne…
Damon L. Smith retweeted
"Delaying harvest increases the risk of pod and stem blight, because plants are likely to be exposed to cool and wet conditions that favor disease development. Thus, timely harvest will help reduce the risk of seed decay and preserve seed quality..."
From An Overview of Pod and Stem Blight and Diaporthe Seed Decay doi.org/10.31274/cpn-2019062… by @dsmuelle @cropdisease @MartinChilvers1 @febina_m @AlbertTenuta @cropdoc08 +more
@DylanMangel @BisonBeanDoc @baldpathologist @maddishires @MandyBish1 #soybean #SeedAudio #USSoy
ALT Soybean seed showing fungal growth and discoloration inside a split pod.
ALT Section of soybean stem with linear rows of dark fungal growth.
Damon L. Smith retweeted
There are five major mycotoxins associated with ear rots. Toxic effects vary by type, concentration, exposure, and animal species.
If a field has kernel or ear rot problems (10%+ of ears are moldy), test for mycotoxins.
For more info, see Corn Mycotoxin FAQs at cropprotectionnetwork.org/pu….
From Extension. @badgercropdoc @baldpathologist @MartinChilvers1 @travisfaske @dsmuelle @ppp_trey @AlbertTenuta @cropdoc08 @DaisyHAhumada @MandyBish1 @PACropDoc @MahDuffeck @alisonrISU @DTelenko
@croptoxcare #harvest26 #corn
ALT Pink mold on corn ear.
ALT Green mold on corn ear.
Damon L. Smith retweeted
“Soybean is most susceptible to hail injury during the later reproductive (R) growth stages as the plant's ability to compensate for damage decreases...When pod damage is prevalent, prioritize affected fields for early harvest to minimize harvest issues such as lodging, reduced seed quality, green stem, seed diseases, etc.”
From An Overview of Hail Injury and Fungicide Use on Soybean cropprotectionnetwork.org/pu… by @DylanMangel @MartinChilvers1 @AlbertTenuta @dsmuelle @ISU_IPM @badgerbean
@travisfaske @cropdoc2 @ppp_trey @badgercropdoc @SpurlockLab @BisonBeanDoc #soybean #hail #USSoy
ALT Soybean field with plants showing missing leaves and damaged stems from hail.
ALT Soybean plant showing missing leaves from hail.
ALT Hail stones on the ground and in a person's hand.
Damon L. Smith retweeted
Scouting for Corn Ear Rots. Watch at youtu.be/LN-kKuaaxKc.
From @universityofky's @cropdoc08.
@alisonrISU @MartinChilvers1 @badgercropdoc @MandyBish1 #corn
Damon L. Smith retweeted
Fusarium root, crown and foot rot is widespread and can be found in all wheat production regions of the U.S. and Canada. Seedling blight occurs when Fusarium-infected seed is sown. Infected seedlings tend to be reddish with poor vigor and poor tiller production.
Planting into a prepared seedbed with available moisture will reduce stress and disease risk. Depending on the causal Fusarium species, an extended rotation away from a small grain crops reduces risk. Fungicide seed treatments can be used for early season protection against seedling blight and root rot.
@NDSUExtension @StrayerScherer @travisfaske @BorisCamiletti @DTelenko @KelseyFAndersen @cropdisease @ppp_trey @MartinChilvers1 @OSUwheatdisease @AlbertTenuta @maddishires @badgercropdoc @thppdd_lab @OhioCornWheat @WheatInnovation @WheatPete #wheat
ALT A dark brown to red lesion near the first node of a wheat plant.
Damon L. Smith retweeted
Aphanomyces root rot can reduce yield in newly seeded and established alfalfa. If conditions are favorable after seeding, complete loss can occur. The disease can reduce stand longevity, resulting in the need for more frequent rotation to a less profitable forage crop.
One of the most effective practices to reduce the impact of Aphanomyces root rot is to plant cultivars with race-specific resistance. Many commercial cultivars have resistance to one or both races of the pathogen.
Read more at cropprotectionnetwork.org/pu…
From Extension. @cropdoc08 @badgercropdoc @MartinChilvers1 @DTelenko @MahDuffeck @NAFANews @MidwestForage @NDSUExtension @MSU_Extension @UMNExt #alfalfa
ALT Alfalfa seedlings showing disease symptoms like wilting and discoloration.
ALT Alfalfa roots dug from the ground showing rot.