Wyatt Miller, found common rust on both upper and lower leaves in corn fields in Barton County.
The University of Missouri Extension agronomy assistant, scouted fields west of Iantha in southwest Missouri.
"Wheat is drying out and should be ready for harvest within a couple of weeks. A great deal of lodging occurred in wheat this year. We believe most of the lodging was due to access nitrogen carryover from an abnormally dry summer and winter," Miller said.
Fields with corn behind corn could justify tissue sampling or deep core sampling prior to side dressing nitrogen. Corn scouted this week was in growth stages v-6 to v-8. Those planning to side dress nitrogen should do so soon, when corn is roughly knee high.
RUST: Outbreaks are coming earlier than usual in southwest Missouri.
"While scouting this week we observed common rust on both upper and lower leaves of corn. Because common rust spores must be blown in from southern states, the incidence and severity of common rust depends in part on how early the inoculum is blown in," Milller explained. "With outbreaks of common rust earlier than usual, there is a greater potential for rust problems to develop. Producers should be keeping an eye out for common rust when scouting corn fields."
Rust pustules start as small circular, light green to yellow spots in leaf tissue. Lesions develop into circular, golden-brown to reddish brown, raised pustules in bands or concentrated patches on the leaf. Pustules soon rupture and masses of rusty brown spores are visible. Common rust can develop on upper and lower leaf surfaces as well as on leaf sheaths, husks, and stalks. Leaves and leaf sheaths may yellow and die when rust is severe.