As corn and soybean growers prepare for another season of tight margins, agronomists warn that 2026 will require sharper scouting strategies and more selective input decisions. A panel of certified crop advisers recently discussed whether farmers could scale back insect-traited corn hybrids or reduce preventive insecticide applications next year. Their conclusion: in some regions, yes-but only if growers commit to far more precise field scouting.

Dan Quinn, Purdue Extension corn specialist, emphasized that matching pest management to actual field-level risk is the most economical path forward. "Use full trait packages only where justified, stepping down to fewer traits in rotated fields with low pressure," he said. "Rely on scouting rather than preventative insecticides for early-season pests."

Agronomists identified four practical ways growers can strengthen their scouting programs heading into 2026-each designed to help catch pest pressures sooner, improve staging accuracy, or track crop development more clearly across the season.

1. Carry reliable, in-field identification resources
In the Midwest, one of the most commonly used references is the Purdue Corn & Soybean Field Guide, a pocket-sized manual with color photos of insects, diseases and nutrient deficiencies. Growers and advisers say the guide helps confirm diagnoses in the moment, reducing errors that can lead to over- or under-treatment. "I carry one in my back pocket whenever I go to the field," said Steve Gauck, regional manager for Beck's and a producer in Greensburg, Indiana. Other states offer similar publications that scouts can adapt for local pests and cropping conditions.

2. Mark leaves to improve growth staging
Accurate staging becomes difficult as early leaves deteriorate and slough off. To avoid miscounting, the Ohio State University Battle of the Belt research team marks the fifth and tenth leaves with spray paint shortly after emergence. In commercial fields, a few plants near row ends or landmarks can be marked the same way to improve timing of herbicide, fungicide and nutrient applications. "Now we're confident about leaf count," said in-field coordinator Taylor Dill.

3. Use colored flags to track late emergence
Emergence timing has major implications for plant competitiveness and ear size. Gauck recommends flagging a 1/1,000-acre section-17 feet, 5 inches in 30-inch rows-and placing a flag at each plant as it emerges. Returning the next day, scouts add a different colored flag for new plants. Repeating the process across multiple rows and locations helps growers identify fields where uneven emergence could limit yield potential. Removing the flags before harvest allows earlier assessments of how late-emerging plants performed through the season.

4. Adopt aerial scouting to detect patterns
Drone flights in mid- to late-summer can reveal patterns that are difficult to see at ground level. Gauck notes that aerial imagery helped identify lighter-colored streaks in one cornfield, later traced to uneven application rates. "After picking up the trend from the air, the grower could check his records and physically inspect the applicator," he said. Drones can also capture variability related to nutrient stress, compaction or disease onset before symptoms fully develop in the canopy.

Together, these strategies offer a roadmap for farmers preparing for 2026. With input costs volatile and margins tightening, advisers underscore that scouting-not blanket application of technology or chemistry-will help growers target resources where they matter most. As Quinn noted, "The least-cost strategy that still provides meaningful protection is the one that aligns with actual field conditions."