KDSN RADIO News
Southern rust poses threat to Iowa corn crops
A fungus that attacks corn has spread to more than 40 Iowa counties.
Meaghan Anderson, an extension field agronomist with Iowa State University, says southern rust creates reddish-orange patches on corn leaves and blocks sunlight, which weakens the plant and can reduce yields.
Anderson says southern rust has shown up in Iowa before, but this year, it came earlier and it’s much more widespread.
“We’ve had so many storm systems and so much wind this summer, that we’ve had more movement of those spores from the southern United States up into Iowa,” Anderson says, “but then we’ve also had continued activity and hot and humid conditions that it likes that appear to have allowed it to spread further.”
Anderson says reports of southern rust started coming in mid-July. “It’s been found fairly well spread throughout the state, even into the more northern parts of Iowa,” she says.
Dan Bjorklund is a technical agronomy advisor for Landus, and says this fungus can be particularly damaging to corn as the “rust” blocks the sunlight needed for photosynthesis.
“In 46 years that I’ve been an agronomist, it’s only been up in Iowa a couple times,” he says.
Bjorklund and Anderson encourage farmers to scout their fields, and not only the edges. Fungicides may be an option.
(Rachel Cramer, Iowa Public Radio)
