Two Foliar Diseases to Start Scouting

Now that it’s August, a good percentage of the corn has tasseled, and it’s time to be scouting for foliar disease in your corn fields. 

There are two main foliar diseases in the Western Corn Belt:

1. Gray Leaf Spot (GLS). This is the most common disease we see in the area. GLS survives in infested residues from previous corn crops. We see it almost every year at varying levels depending on hybrid tolerance and weather. Learn more about GLS here.
2. Southern Rust. This is another disease we are seeing in the Western Corn Belt. Southern rust has made its way through Oklahoma and Kansas and has now been confirmed in Southern Nebraska. Southern rust thrives in warm, humid environments, so irrigated corn country in Nebraska is a perfect home. Learn more about southern rust here. 

Foliar diseases can cause significant damage to corn yields, but with a little scouting and a fungicide application, you can protect your corn crop.