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New corn disease reported in Michigan, scouting encouraged in the Great Lakes

A new corn leaf disease has been identified in Michigan, and researchers say it’s likely widespread in the Great Lakes region.

“We’re finding it pretty much in every field that we walk into at this point in time.”

Michigan State University plant pathologist Marty Chilvers tells Brownfield, “It resembles white spots on the corn plant, they’re about 1/4 to 1/2 inch in size.”

“It looks like paraquat injury, like a herbicide injury,” he shares.

He says it appears to be maize white spot, which was last reported in Florida in 1999, but is prevalent as a cool-season fungus in southern Brazil and other parts of the world.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Ontario, Wisconsin, but it’s about just getting out and looking for it,” he says.

Chilvers says sequencing has not officially confirmed what fungus species it is. He’s encouraging growers to submit samples if they see similar symptoms to help determine how widespread the disease is and identify it.

The disease has been drying down some corn silage fields faster than normal and causes yield losses where pressure is heavy.