Southern rust has been detected in Kansas corn for the first time this year, including trace levels in Stafford, Bourbon and Crawford counties. The disease spreads north on wind currents and thrives in warm, humid weather.
K-State specialists say later-planted corn in central and western Kansas remains vulnerable.
The Kansas Corn Commission and K-State Plant Pathology have created an online resource for monitoring corn diseases, and state specialists are seeking reports from growers to track the disease’s spread.
