Northwest Iowa — Some corn growers are finding a new type of disease on the leaves of their crops this fall.
Plant pathologist Doug Jardine says the disease streaks the leaves and somewhat resembles “gray leaf spot” , but it’s different. Jardine says with corn maturing and drying, it likely won’t spread any further this season.
The new disease is being called X-V-V and researchers don’t know how it got here, how to control it or even whether it needs to be controlled. The big question is — will it reduce yields?
Jardine says anytime you get something new that has the potential to impact the corn crop, it’s a big deal in the heartland, especially in northwest Iowa where corn is king.
X-V-V has been found in nine states so far, in Iowa, as well as Nebraska, Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Minnesota, Illinois and Colorado.
