Diseases attack US corn fields, threatening record harvest

Fungal diseases are spreading rapidly through corn fields in the Midwest, potentially affecting what is expected to be a record crop this year, according to Reuters.

Farmers say the main culprit is southern rust, which arrived in Iowa in July — a month earlier than usual. Combined with wet conditions, this has created an ideal environment for the disease, which can reduce corn yields by up to 45%. Tar spot has also spread widely.

Farmers say this year’s outbreaks are the first they have seen such a force. Many producers have been forced to use fungicides, but the treatments do not always save the fields and are expensive in conditions of low grain prices. Some farmers have already lost dozens of bushels of yield even on treated areas.

Early harvests can be difficult: affected plants prematurely stop growing, turn brown, and have brittle stems that are prone to lodging. The full extent of the losses will only become clear after the harvest is complete.

Tags: crop condition, corn, USA