Some farmers in areas of east central South Dakota and Minnesota are seeing severe problems with Goss’s Wilt disease in their corn. One of those is State Farm Bureau President Scott VanderWal. He says the bacterial infection has caused standability issues in some of his fields which will require early harvest.

Whitney Tolzin is an account manager with Pioneer in southwestern Minnesota. She says the disease has been prevalent in her area as well this season and is tied to excessive rain and wind. It literally shuts down the plant and results in significant yield reduction.

VanderWal says prevent the disease next season he will be planting resistant hybrids and rotating.

Goss’s Wilt is a bacterial disease that causes infection and wilting in the corn plant and it can also cause severe leaf blighting.