Corn producers across the Midwest are keeping a close watch on whether a devastating crop disease might return to plague their fields once again. After experiencing unprecedented outbreaks of southern rust in 2025, agricultural communities remain on high alert for the upcoming growing season.
Alison Robertson, who specializes in field crop diseases at Iowa State University Extension, noted that last year’s infection rates reached record-breaking proportions. “So it’s a big concern on everybody’s mind here,” Robertson explained when discussing the plant pathogen responsible for southern rust damage.
The agricultural expert emphasized that farmers throughout corn-producing regions are anxiously awaiting signs of whether this destructive disease will make another appearance in their crops this year.
