PINE DEEP, PA -- CROP BLIGHT WORSENS

Wanted criminals are not the only problem facing the citizens of Pine Deep this season as the worst crop blight in thirty years intensifies. “This is threatening the economy of the entire town,” says Terrence Wolfe, Mayor of Pine Deep.

The blight began in mid-summer with a variety of diseases and insect infestations that include: gray leaf spot, Stewart's bacterial leaf blight, and northern corn leaf blight; Stalk Rot; Gibberella, Fusarium, and Diplodia ear rot diseases and a variety of viruses such as maize dwarf mosaic and maize chlorotic mosaic, as well as weevils, root worms and stalk borers of all kinds.

“If I was a superstitious man,” said local farmer Jacob Troutman, “I’d think this town was cursed. We have more plagues than Egypt ever saw during Moses’ time.”

Teams of specialists have been brought in from a variety of private and government agencies to try and salvage some of this year’s crop, or to prevent the diseases from returning next season.

Generally leaf blight diseases can be found in almost any field, depending on the year and susceptibility of the hybrid planted. Some leaf-blight diseases are most often found associated with continuous corn, especially in reduced-tillage, continuous corn fields. These are anthracnose, gray leaf spot, eyespot, and northern leaf spot. All leaf blight diseases cause loss of green leaf tissue, resulting in fewer kernels and lightweight grain. Plants may be predisposed to stalk-rot diseases when leaf damage is severe. The amount of yield loss is usually related to the time when the plant's upper leaves become infected. The most severe yield loss occurs when the upper leaves, the ear leaf, and those above the ear, become infected at or soon after tasseling. Yield losses will be minimal if disease does not occur on these leaves until six to eight weeks after tasseling.

Leaf blight diseases are most effectively controlled by selecting hybrids with genetic resistance, but these methods have been tried without success in Pine Deep.

Stalk Rot diseases are fungal diseases that result in premature ripening, chaffy ears, and lodging of plants before harvest. The interior of the stalk becomes rotted, tissues break down, and the stalk is easily broken. Anthracnose stalk rot is usually associated with continuous corn and is recognized by the blackening of the outer surface of the stalk late in the season. Stalks with Gibberella stalk rot can be found in nearly any field. Affected stalks often have pink to reddish discolored internal tissues. Control of stalk rot diseases is based on reducing plant stress from factors such as lack of moisture, leaf diseases, insect injury, and nutritional stress.Continue reading story...