Surging and Emerging Corn and Soybean Diseases: Status, risks, and management
Dr. Dean Malvick, Extension plant pathologist
As if farming did not already have enough challenges to deal with, new ones continue to arise. This includes a number of new diseases that are both realized and potential threats to crop production. This presentation will examine established corn and soybean diseases that have been problematic recently in Minnesota as well as new diseases that are emerging. The focus will be on southern rust, tar spot, and Goss’s wilt of corn as well as SDS and red crown rot of soybean – although the discussion won’t stop there.
Biology and management of corn rootworm
Dr. Fei Yang, Extension corn entomologist
Corn plants are vulnerable to attack and damage from a wide range of insect pests throughout their growth and development. One of the most economically important and destructive species in Minnesota is corn rootworm, including western and northern corn rootworm. Historically, effective management strategies for corn rootworms included crop rotation, Bt technology, soil insecticides, and seed treatments. However, these strategies face increasing challenges due to changes in pest biology, resistance development, climate change and shifting weather patterns. For example, both western and northern corn rootworms have evolved resistance to multiple Bt traits, soil insecticides, and even crop rotation. These developments threaten the continued effectiveness of current integrated pest management (IPM) practices. In this presentation, we will talk about our recent findings, including the inter-specific competition between western and northern corn rootworm, the efficacy of Bt traits, soil insecticides and seed-treatments for corn rootworm control, the rotation-resistant populations in Minnesota, and the cold tolerance and overwintering survival of western and northern corn rootworms, highlighting the urgent need for resistance monitoring and adaptive IRM strategies.
Managing agronomic inputs for corn production
Dr. Jeff Coulter, Extension corn agronomist
This presentation will discuss the results of new research from southern Minnesota, which addresses (1) how application of nitrogen and sulfur as starter fertilizer affects corn yield, and whether this is influenced by crop rotation, hybrid relative maturity, and planting rate, and (2) systemic nitrogen-fixation biofertilizer for corn.
Weed management
Dr. Debalin Sarangi, Extension weed scientist
Details coming soon.
The Present and future of nitrogen management
Brad Carlson, Extension educator - water quality
Carlson will present information summarizing N fertilizer performance for the past year and the implications of current conditions on N decisions for 2026. He will also discuss the state's revised Nutrient Reduction strategy and pending changes to the N BMPs.
