By Nathan Kleczewski
Goss’ Wilt is an emerging issue in corn production. Although the bacterial disease has yet to move into our area, it has spread throughout corn production areas in the Midwest and parts of Canada. Currently, rotation and tillage are the only means of controlling the disease. However, other management practices, such as weed management, may play a role.
This is because weeds may serve as hosts of the bacterium, allowing populations to persist between cropping systems and increase bacterial populations in fields. Researchers at Purdue University recently published a study in the journal Weed Science that examined the capacity of the bacterium to be hosted by weeds and cover crop species. The researchers found that annual ryegrass, johnsongrass, large crabgrass,giant foxtail, green foxtail, shattercane, and yellow foxtail are hosts of the Goss’ wilt bacterium.
Goss’s Wilt of corn
Source:udel.edu