St. Paul, MN – A relatively new disease is threatening corn production across the United States.
University of Minnesota Researcher Jose Solorzano says “tar spot” first emerged in Minnesota in 2019, “One single event of spores landing on corn plants can lead to the establishment and the development of tar spot.”
Solorzano says the disease can also survive for a long time under specific environmental conditions, “The fungus can survive in -20 degrees Celsius for 10 months and still remain viable, be able to cause an infection in corn.”
Solorzano’s team is currently testing if tar spot can infect other native state plants or culminated crops.