Speaking in general about the problems with diseases and pests this year, Dmytro Shatsman, co-founder and director of Evrosem, outlined them in an article on the SuperAgronom agro platform.
According to him, experts identify three main diseases that caused the greatest damage to crops:
– downy mildew: unstable temperatures in spring contributed to the development of this disease, especially on chemical sunflower hybrids;
– Phomopsis: this disease became active at the later stages of sunflower development, causing damage to stems and baskets;
– dry head rot: hot and dry weather creates ideal conditions for the development of this disease, which leads to yield losses.
These three diseases have become a serious challenge for farmers in 2024. They emphasize the importance of choosing resistant hybrids and the need to implement effective plant protection measures to minimize crop losses,’ the expert said.