Research
Efficacy ratings, real pricing, and ROI analysis for 26 corn fungicide products. Based on 867 university field trials and 9,196 yield records.
This guide compiles efficacy ratings, pricing data, and decision-making frameworks for corn fungicide products available in the U.S. market. It is not opinion or AI-generated content — it is a structured presentation of data from university field trials and published research.
Efficacy ratings come from the Crop Protection Network 2025 annual publication, which aggregates results from university researchers across the Corn Belt. Ratings reflect multi-year, multi-location trial performance against each disease.
Pricing data is sourced from three ag input suppliers (AgChem, FBN, Farmerceag) at actual purchase prices. Prices vary by geography, volume, and timing — use these as reference points, not quotes.
Yield response data draws from 867 trials across 6 universities spanning 2008-2025, with 9,196 individual performance records. You can explore the raw data in our Trial Data Browser.
Ratings from the Crop Protection Network 2025 based on multi-year university trial data. Click column headers to sort. Use the filter to focus on a specific disease.
Source: Crop Protection Network 2025. Ratings reflect multi-year, multi-location field trial performance.
Real purchase prices from three ag input suppliers. Some products have multiple generics at different price points. Click column headers to sort. A dash means no price available from that supplier.
| Product | Rate (fl oz) | Acres/Gal | AgChem ($/gal) | FBN ($/gal) | Farmerceag ($/gal) | Best $/Acre |
|---|
Prices as of early 2025. Actual pricing varies by geography, volume, and timing. Use as reference only.
Understanding mode of action (MOA) is critical for resistance management. Corn fungicides fall into three main FRAC groups, often sold as premixes combining two or three.
Resistance Risk: Low-Medium
Systemic, locally absorbed. Strong on gray leaf spot and eyespot. Examples: propiconazole (Tilt), prothioconazole (Proline), flutriafol (Xyway), mefentrifluconazole.
Resistance Risk: Medium-High
Inhibit succinate dehydrogenase. Strong on gray leaf spot and southern rust. Examples: benzovindiflupyr (Trivapro), fluxapyroxad (Priaxor), pydiflumetofen (Miravis Neo), bixafen (Lucento).
Resistance Risk: High
Broad-spectrum, excellent on common rust and eyespot. Risk of resistance with repeated single-site use. Examples: azoxystrobin (Quadris), pyraclostrobin (Headline), picoxystrobin (Aproach), trifloxystrobin.
Resistance Risk: Lower (built-in rotation)
Combining multiple FRAC groups in one product reduces resistance risk and broadens spectrum. Most premium products are premixes: Miravis Neo (7+11+3), Delaro Complete (3+11+7), Revytek (11+3).
Not every field needs the most expensive fungicide. Match your spend to your risk level and yield environment. These four approaches cover the spectrum from maximum protection to no spray.
$18-21/acre product + $8-12 application
Maximum protection. Premium triple-MOA product at full rate. For high-value corn (>$5/bu), known tar spot fields, or when disease pressure is confirmed high.
$12-16/acre product + $8-12 application
Best balance of efficacy and cost. Premium dual-MOA product. For fields with some disease history or moderate risk.
$2-6/acre product + $8-12 application
Minimum effective coverage using generics. For lower-risk fields, tight margins, or as insurance when disease pressure is uncertain.
$0/acre
No fungicide application. Appropriate when disease risk is genuinely low: dry weather, no tar spot history, resistant hybrid, low corn prices.
University trials consistently show that VT (tasseling) to R1 (silking) is the optimal window for foliar fungicide application on corn. Timing matters more than product selection in most years.
Key principles from the research:
One application at VT-R1 is the standard. Two-pass programs (V6 + VT) are rarely economical for corn based on university data.
Earlier is not better. Applying at V6-V8 leaves the upper canopy unprotected during the critical grain fill period when yield impact occurs.
Late applications can still help in tar spot epidemics. Indiana research (Ross et al. 2024) showed that even R2 applications provided some yield protection when tar spot pressure was severe.
Estimate the return on your fungicide investment. Adjust inputs to match your situation.
Based on Crop Protection Network 2025 efficacy data, the top-rated products for tar spot control include Topguard EQ (Very Good), Veltyma (Very Good), and Revytek (Very Good). Triple-mode products like Miravis Neo and Delaro Complete also rate Good to Very Good. Products containing only FRAC Group 11 strobilurins generally have limited tar spot efficacy.
Corn fungicide costs range from about $1.43/acre for generic propiconazole (Tilt) to over $30/acre for premium products like Proline 480 SC. Popular mid-range options include Priaxor at $15-18/acre, Revytek at $18-19/acre, and Miravis Neo at $20-21/acre. Generic alternatives can cut costs significantly — generic azoxystrobin is $2-3/acre versus $7+/acre for brand-name Headline.
The optimal timing for foliar fungicide application on corn is VT (tasseling) through R1 (silking). University trials consistently show the best yield response at VT-R1. Applying at R2 (blister) can still help under heavy disease pressure but provides less yield protection. Applications before V10 or after R3 generally do not provide economic returns for foliar diseases.
It depends on disease pressure, corn price, and fungicide cost. University research shows average yield responses of 5-15 bu/acre under moderate to high disease pressure, but near-zero response under low pressure. At $4.50/bu corn and $20/acre total cost (product + application), you need about 4.5 bu/acre yield response to break even. Use the ROI calculator above to model your specific situation.
The three main FRAC groups in corn fungicides are Group 3 (DMI/triazoles), Group 7 (SDHI), and Group 11 (QoI/strobilurins). Avoid applying the same FRAC group repeatedly in a season. Premix products combining 2-3 groups (like Miravis Neo with Groups 7+11+3) inherently provide multi-site activity. If using a single-mode product, alternate between groups across applications.
Ledger Drone is invoicing software built for ag drone pilots. Track acres, chemicals, and field-by-field billing — all from your phone, offline. If you're spraying fungicide commercially, you need a tool that keeps up with you in the field.
Learn about Ledger Drone →