Gathering Information
Careful preparation before using this diagnostic guide will
improve your chances of accurately determining the cause or causes of the
abnormality you are observing. Activities such as noting landscape features,
compiling a field history, recording weather information, and determining soil
characteristics can be very helpful in your diagnosis. You may want to sketch
the field and mark the locations of the observed abnormality in relation to
landscape features. If possible, record information about neighboring fields as
well as the field in question.
- Landscape
features
- Water
drainage patterns
- Wind
movement patterns
- Degrees
and direction of slope
- Proximity
of roads, trees, buildings
- Field
history
- Crop
history for up to 3 years
- Variety
characteristics including pest resistance and/or biotech traits
- Agronomic
practices
- Planting
date
- Planting
rate
- Row
width
- Tillage
practices and timing
- Fertilizer
and lime (this season and last season)
- Type
- Application
rates
- Application
method and dates
- Pest
history for up to 3 years
- Pest
management practices (this season and last)
- Non-chemical
control methods
- Chemical
names and rates
- Dates
and methods of application
- Weather
- Maximum
and minimum temperatures
- Precipitation
amounts and timing
- Wind
speed and direction
- Unusual
weather events in past season (e.g. prolonged dry period)
- Soil
characteristics
- Soil
fertility tests
- Soil
type
- Nematode
count
- Soil
temperature