Disease possibilities in crops increase amid rain

LAMAR, Mo. -- The University of Missouri Extension is warning that recent wet weather increases the chances of diseases developing in corn and soybeans.

Agronomy specialist Jill Scheidt said rain carries funguses in the air, making it easier for the funguses to spread. She said diseases such as rust, gray leaf spot, northern corn leaf blight, brown spot, crazy top and stalk and ear rots develop best in wet and humid conditions.

The Extension Service said in a news release that fungicides that suppress these diseases are most effective if applied while corn is in the vegetative stage, or before silking. If corn already has silks, plants will not respond as well to a treatment.

Other foliage diseases that affect soybeans during wet conditions are septoria brown spot, downy mildew and bacterial blight.