Corn Anthracnose Showing Up In Area Fields
LAMAR, MO.
The corn fields east of Lamar were scouted
by Jay Chism, an agronomy specialist
with University of Missouri Extension, on
May 24 and are showing signs of anthracnose,
a fungal disease made worse by the region’s
wet weather.
“The corn anthracnose is developing on the
lower leaves of area corn
fields. The disease overwinters
on corn residue, so fields
planted to corn following
corn tend to show more infection,”
said Chism.
The fungus is usually
splashed up on lower leaves
from spring rainfall, although
some spores can also be carried
by wind. Anthracnose lesions
are usually oval to
spindle shaped and may
merge together to kill larger
areas of leaf tissue.
“On many plants the lesions
concentrate toward the
leaf tip that gives the leaf a
fired appearance that might
be mistaken for nutrient deficiency
or herbicide injury,”
said Chism.
Generally, corn anthracnose will
stop when weather conditions are
drier and warmer. Under favorable
conditions (warm, wet weather) anthracnose
may move up the plant to
the ear leaf.
“For the most part, anthracnose is
not a serious problem and fungicides
are not recommended this early in the
season. If the disease moves up to new
leaves, fungicides can be applied later
in the season when other foliar diseases,
such as gray leaf spot and
southern rust may threaten this season's
crop,” said Chism.
It is important that producers continue
to scout for insect damage in
their own fields.
“I observed leaf feeding from adult
corn root worm beetles or spotted cucumber
beetles on a few fields this
week, but no significant damage that
justified control for now,” said Chism.
The MU Extension Center in Barton
County has information about foliar
fungicides, as well as pictures of viral
diseases, anthracnose and recent insect
damage posted online at
http://extension.missouri.edu/barton.
For more information on this scouting report,
or to learn how you can receive it a
week earlier by telephone, contact the MU
Extension Center in Barton County at (417)
682-3579.
Or you can hear the latest scouting report
online at http://tinyurl.com/23swqol. Δ