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Weather-dependent diseases popping up in WCB

An agronomist says there have been a pair of weather-related diseases starting to emerge in areas of the Western Corn Belt.

Trey Stephens with Becks covers Southeast Nebraska. “This year it’s bacterial leaf streaks.  It’s not a fungus, but a bacteria. We got sporadic hail events, and if you get a rain after that hail it splashes up that bacteria and then infiltrates the corn crop.”

He tells Brownfield physoderma brown spot has been spotted, but it will not impact yield. “That usually comes from cooler planting conditions, which is what we faced.  We’re seeing that come through, but I don’t see any yield limitations on that.”

Stephens says choosing different varieties and rotating crops can help manage those diseases.

He spoke with Brownfield at Beck’s Field Show near Goehner, Nebraska.