Corn rarely looks as good in Kansas as it does this year—but because of late planting, the crop is susceptible to a disease that Kansas farmers usually don’t have to face. K-State Research and Extension reporter Randall Kowalik has more. 

 

(Randall Kowalik)

2007 is on track to be a banner year for corn production in Kansas—but producers are K-State Research and Extension specialists are keeping an eye out for a potentially-devastating disease. Extension plant pathologist Doug Jardine says Southern Corn Rust usually isn’t a problem.

 

(Doug Jardine)

2007 happens to be one of those years where the early spring rains forced the later planting of the crop. Southern Rust has arrived on time, but now we have a crop that's two to four weeks behind in development, so the chances for significant yield loss from Southern Rust are much greater this year.” 00:34

 

(Randall Kowalik)

Jardine recommends that corn farmers monitor news reports for sightings of Southern Rust in Kansas, and that they scout their fields every two or three days. The challenge, Jardine says, is that Southern Rust can be confused with Common Rust, a less serious problem:

 

(Doug Jardine)

Unfortunately, the differences between Common Rust and Southern Rust are rather subtle. With both diseases, you're going to get a blistering on the upper side of the leaf--the difference being, with Common Rust, you will also get blisters rupturing through on the underside of the leaf; with Southern Rust, you do not see this particular symptom.

 

 

If a producer finds Southern Rust, a timely application of fungicides can minimize losses:

It could result in maybe 10, 20, maybe even 30 percent yield increases, in situations where the disease is very severe.

 

(Randall Kowalik)

Again, the trick for identifying Southern Rust is to look at both sides of the leaf. For K-State Research and Extension, I'm Randall Kowalik.