Corn disease pressure, at least in parts of Nebraska, was less this past growing season than in previous years. But there are specific fungal leaf diseases — such as gray leaf spot, northern corn leaf blight and southern rust — that are on the radar for Brian Banks, Golden Harvest agronomist for southeast Nebraska.
“Farm economics allowed for a larger majority of corn acres to be treated with a fungicide, which helped with fungal disease severity” this season, Banks says. “The growing season also helped to keep corn diseases in check, allowing yield impacts to be minimal in fields that were not treated with a fungicide.”
Banks notes that Nebraska producers must often monitor for bacterial diseases such as bacterial leaf streak and Goss’s wilt. “These diseases primarily can be managed by creating plans based on field history and by choosing resistant hybrids,” Banks explains.
SOUTHERN RUST: Southern rust is another fungal leaf disease that has become prevalent in Nebraska cornfields.
Looking forward to the 2022 growing season, Banks says it will be important to keep an eye on fields that are continuous corn and fields that have large amounts of surface corn residue, to specifically monitor for corn leaf diseases.
“If we have a cool, wet spring in 2022, then we will likely see an increase in corn seedling diseases, such as pythium and fusarium, in comparison to what we witnessed in 2021,” Banks says. “Typically, cool, wet springs followed by warm, humid summers create the perfect environment for season-long disease pressure in corn.”
Banks also notes the confirmation of tar spot in counties in eastern Nebraska in 2021. “So, that is something we will be looking to manage for the 2022 growing season and beyond,” he says.
For more information on tar spot in Nebraska, read this story.
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