New Corn Disease Reported in Michigan and Great Lakes Region

A new corn leaf disease has been identified in Michigan, and researchers say it’s likely widespread in the Great Lakes region.

“We’re finding it pretty much in every field that we walk into at this point in time.” Michigan State University plant pathologist Marty Chilvers tells Brownfield Ag News, “It resembles white spots on the corn plant, they’re about 1/4 to 1/2 inch in size.”

He says it appears to be similar to maize white spot, which was last reported in Florida in 1999, but is prevalent as a cool-season fungus in southern Brazil and other parts of the world.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Ontario, Wisconsin, but it’s about just getting out and looking for it,” he says.

Chilvers says sequencing has not officially confirmed what fungus species it is. He’s encouraging growers to submit samples if they see similar symptoms to help determine how widespread the disease is and to identify it.

The disease has been drying down some corn silage fields faster than normal and causes yield losses where pressure is heavy.

EDITOR’S TAKE:

This is definitely not good news for corn producers in the Great Lakes Region. Plus, at this juncture, scientists have not fully determined just how widespread the disease has taken hold. Unfortunately, they have determined that heavier infestations can lead to a reduction in yields. No doubt, researchers will ultimately determine what it is and what is causing it and hopefully how to control it. No telling how long that will take but, until then, farmers will have one more disease that can potentially dampen their harvest.

Don’t let this news deter you from offering AgPack® to the farmers/ranchers in your area. AgPack offers huge savings on products they would typically use in their daily operation. It could mean thousands of dollars to their bottom line. At the same time, it is a wonderful sales tool to outperform any non-CAD dealer!