Many areas within the Midwest cornbelt are experiencing extreme stalk rot issues.

Stalk rot is so severe that many fields will need harvesting one way if not also having to be harvested using head reels for picking up downed corn. This same situation occurred several years ago throughout Illinois and Indiana which resulted in Great Lakes having several meetings spearheaded by our contact and authority on the issue who was Dr. Jim Dodd. Dr. Dodd is an expert on this issue and is currently the founder and president of Professional Seed Research located in Sugar Grove, Illinois which is west of the Chicago area on Rte. 47.

Jim spoke to many of our dealers and DSM’s at meeting scheduled throughout Illinois and Indiana regarding this problem AND also distributed to us his 18 page article entitled “Stalk Rot of Corn”.

In this article his summarization regarding stalk rot was explained with this quote:

“Stalk rot of corn occurs because the limitation of available energy (sugar) to the roots caused root tissue to lose resistance to microorganisms in the soil. As the roots decayed, water uptake from the soil was reduced to a point where there was inadequate water to replace the loss through the leaves. The plant wilted. Not only was the stalk strength reduced with the wilting process, but also other fungi began digesting the dead or near-dead stalk tissue. With time, and warmth to encourage rapid fungal growth, the stalk strength weakens to a point of easy breakage with only a slight wind. The predisposition to stalk rot is the combination of factors reducing photosynthesis and the imbalance of movement between the root and ear. The fungi most obvious on the rotted stalks are not the primary cause of the condition; they are only the invaders of the dying or dead tissue.”

If any of you are interested in receiving this 18 page explanation, please contact me. I have some of these on hand and can send them to you.

Thanks,
TEX

Tex A. Young, CCA
Sales Agronomist
Great Lakes Hybrids

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