By Scout Nelson
South Dakota State University Extension is inviting farmers, students, and community members to attend a free corn disease scouting workshop on September 25, 2025. The event runs from 10 a.m. to noon CDT at the SDSU Northeast Research Farm near South Shore.
Registration is not required, and participants may come and go at any time during the session.
This scouting workshop gives attendees a chance to learn how to identify and manage corn diseases confirmed across South Dakota this season.
Members of the SDSU Extension plant pathology team will guide visitors through a corn field to see examples of tar spot, southern rust, northern corn leaf blight, and other common diseases. Participants can also bring their own plant samples for on site identification. Samples should be enclosed in a plastic bag with a dry paper towel.
Connie Strunk, SDSU Extension Plant Pathology Field Specialist, encourages everyone to join the field walk and stay as long as schedules allow. She highlights that tar spot is a significant concern this year, with confirmations in eight counties and more suspected cases. Tar spot can reduce yields if not managed early.
Southern rust, another fungal disease that often appears on the upper surface of corn leaves, has been seen across most eastern South Dakota corn fields.
Other frequently observed issues include common rust, northern corn leaf blight, and Goss’s Wilt, according to Madalyn Shires, Assistant Professor and SDSU Extension Plant Pathology Specialist.
The event aims to help farmers and crop scouts gain skills in early detection and management of corn diseases. For more details and additional disease resources, visit the SDSU Extension Agriculture-Corn webpage.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-awakr10
Categories: South Dakota, Crops, Corn, Education