Scouting for Corn Diseases

BY Dairyland Seed Agronomy Team

2024 In Season Corn

As the summer is coming to an end much like our corn, I am getting fully immersed in the fields scouting for diseases. This time of year, it is common to see diseases such as tar spot, gray leaf spot, and northern corn leaf blight. It is important to scout for these diseases because it will impact the yield and quality of your corn. Being able to understand these diseases and management strategies are crucial for keeping healthy crops. Early scouting is important to protect your crop in the field.

Tar spot occurs on the bottom or top of the leaf, small, dark tar like speckles. Gray leaf spots appear rectangular, with greyish lesions on the leaves. Gray leaf spot is most problematic in warm and wet conditions. Northern corn leaf blight starts small with oval lesions with a tan center and a darker border. This disease is more severe in warm humid environments. These diseases will lead to premature death of leaves, possibly effecting your yield. Timely application of fungicides can help manage severe outbreaks.

Understanding the benefits of healthy varieties, farmers can enhance their ability to manage diseases effectively. Using these varieties that have more disease resistance can lead to significant long-term savings by reducing the need for expensive fungicides.