News

Gene testing for two corn diseases

Testing is now available for two bacterial corn diseases through the National Agricultural Genotyping Center in Fargo, North Dakota.

Goss’s Wilt can cause grain yield losses of up to 50%.  The other, Xanthomonas, is often confused with Gray Leaf Spot and treatments for that are ineffective if the disease is misidentified. Testing is done through plant leaf samples but in the case of Xanthomonas, soil samples can be tested early in the growing season.

The genotyping center was founded by the National Corn Growers Association and the Los Alamos National Laboratory.