2017 Spring Farm Magazine

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2017 Logan County Farm Outlook Magazine LINCOLN DAILY NEWS March 23, 2017 Page 19
longer, will “bleed” over the veinal border and may
have a halo when held up to the light.
“In many Great Plains states that have found the
disease, symptoms first appear on the lower leaves
and infection progresses up the plant. Typically
these fields have been under pivot irrigation.
However later infections may occur and show up
primarily in the upper canopy, as was the case for
the positive DeKalb county sample.”
Because the disease bears a close resemblance to the
fungal disease Gray Leaf Spot, it will be important
for producers to identify the disease before spending
money to eradicate it. Fungal treatments used for
Gray Leaf Spot will not be effective on Bacterial
Leaf Streak, so treatment would be dollars wasted at
this time.
Currently, there is no treatment for Bacterial Leaf
Streak, so the next best practice is going to be to
work toward preventing the spread of the disease to
other fields or farms.
Researchers at the University of Nebraska are
making the following suggestions. “Sanitation
practices such as cleaning debris from combines and
other equipment between fields can help slow its
spread to unaffected fields.
“In some cropping systems use of crop rotation or
tillage may help degrade infected corn debris and
reduce the surviving bacteria.
“However, neither practice will eradicate the
bacterium and eliminate the risk of disease.”
Finally, because the disease is relatively new,
there has been insufficient information gathered to
determine how the disease will impact yields.
If you suspect Bacterial leaf streak, is present in
your fields, the University of Illinois wants to know.
Submit a sample to the University of Illinois Plant
Clinic, S-417 Turner Hall, 1102 S. Goodwin Ave.,
Urbana, IL 61801, Phone: 217-333-0519,
Email:
Find pictorial information about Bacterial Leaf
Streak and other corn leaf disorders at this
website: Crop Protection Network - http://
Sources:
University of Illinois “The Bulletin” August
26, 2016
University of Nebraska-Lincoln Cropwatch
– February 23, 2017
Successful Farming – September 2, 2016