Duration: 10/01/2027 to 09/30/2032

Administrative Advisor(s):

NIFA Reps:

Non-Technical Summary

The United States is the world’s leading producer of corn, which is used for human consumption, livestock feed, biofuels, and a wide range of industrial products. Corn production is challenged by numerous plant pathogens that reduce yield, grain quality, and profitability. Across major corn-producing regions, foliar diseases, seedling and crown diseases, stalk rots, ear rots and mycotoxins cause substantial economic burdens on the corn sector. Beyond direct yield losses, these disease pressures undermine feed quality, elevate mycotoxin‑related food and feed safety risks, increase production costs, and jeopardize access to key export markets subject to strict residue and contamination standards. Collectively, these impacts intensify farmers’ dependence on chemical inputs, underscoring the need for coordinated approaches that support integrated disease management, investment in resistant hybrids, enhanced surveillance systems, and sustained research and innovation to safeguard crop productivity and market competitiveness. The mission of the proposed Corn Disease Working Group (ERA) is to foster collaboration in research, diagnostics, and information exchange on corn diseases to advance integrated disease management strategies that enhance farmer profitability, improve grain quality for feed and export markets, and support the long-term productivity and competitiveness of the U.S. corn industry. From 2026 to 2031, committee members will coordinate corn disease loss estimates, evaluate and refine integrated management strategies, respond rapidly to emerging and re-emerging disease threats, foster multistate collaboration among corn pathologists, and share science-based information with farmers and other stakeholders. Expected impacts include improved disease awareness, more effective and economical management strategies, enhanced diagnostic and forecasting capacity, and reduced yield and economic losses from corn diseases.This project also aligns with the USDA science priorities released in December 2025 by supporting research and Extension efforts that improve farmer profitability, strengthen protection against emerging and invasive crop diseases, enhance long-term agricultural productivity, and promote resilient and sustainable U.S. corn production systems.

Statement of Issues and Justification

Corn is the most widely grown crop in the United States, with annual production exceeding 15 billion bushels and farm-gate value regularly surpassing $70 billion. Corn is used in domestic livestock production, ethanol and renewable fuels industries, industrial and household products and international grain markets. Continued demand for corn grain and biomass, coupled with increasing input costs and weather variability, places pressure on farmers to maximize yield while managing risk.

Corn diseases represent a persistent and growing threat to U.S. corn production. Foliar diseases such as gray leaf spot (Cercospora zeae-maydis), northern corn leaf blight (Exserohilum turcicum), southern rust (Puccinia polysora), and tar spot (Phyllachora maydis), along with stalk, root, and ear rots caused by Fusarium sp. and other pathogens, contribute to significant yield and grain quality losses and harvest challenges. The widespread detection of newer corn diseases such as Curvularia leaf spot (Curvularia lunata) and corn stunt (Spiroplasma kunkelii, Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris, and maize rayado fino virus (MRFV)) highlight the vulnerability of corn production systems to emerging diseases and the need for coordinated, multistate responses. Changes in tillage practices, increased corn-on-corn acreage, widespread use of susceptible hybrids, and shifting weather patterns have further increased disease pressure. 

Scientists involved in corn disease research and Extension have a long history of multistate collaboration through informal networks, professional societies, and regional projects. These efforts have led to advances in understanding pathogen biology, hybrid resistance, fungicide efficacy, and disease epidemiology. However, increasing disease complexity, rapid pathogen movement, and heightened concerns about fungicide resistance in important pathogens underscore the need for a more formalized multistate ERA focused specifically on corn diseases.

Recent multistate efforts have addressed issues such as the spread and impact of emerging diseases such as corn stunt, shifts in fungicide sensitivity among foliar pathogens, management of mycotoxins, and the development of disease forecasting tools. Outputs from these collaborations include peer-reviewed journal publications, Extension publications, fungicide efficacy tables, diagnostic tools and guides, and decision-support tools disseminated through university Extension programs and platforms such as the Crop Protection Network (CPN).

The Corn Disease Working Group is proposed to serve in the future as a formal, multistate ERA that integrates research, Extension, and diagnostic expertise across U.S. corn-producing regions. Members will represent land-grant universities and partner institutions with research, Extension, and joint appointments. The ERA will provide a structured mechanism for rapid information exchange, coordination of disease loss estimates, alignment of research methods, and development of regionally relevant disease management information that benefit stakeholder groups such as farmers, crop consultants, local extension staff, agribusiness personnel, and educators. Strong partnerships with corn commodity organizations, seed companies, agrochemical industries, and federal and state agencies will ensure that research and extension outputs are aligned with stakeholder needs and national priorities related to food security, bioenergy, and sustainable agriculture.

The proposed Corn Disease Working Group aligns with the USDA science priorities released in December 2025 by supporting research and Extension activities that enhance farmer profitability through improved disease management, reduced yield losses, and more efficient use of agricultural inputs. The project also advances USDA priorities related to protecting American agriculture from invasive and emerging pests and diseases, promoting long-term productivity and sustainability, and strengthening the resilience and competitiveness of U.S. corn production systems.

Objectives

Procedures and Activities

To achieve these objectives, committee members will:

• Collect and compile annual corn disease loss estimates using standardized approaches across states.
• Coordinate multistate fungicide efficacy trials and management studies targeting key foliar, stalk, root, and ear diseases and mycotoxins.
• Share pathogen isolates, diagnostic protocols, and screening methods to improve consistency and efficiency in research and diagnostics.
• Collaborate on the development and refinement of disease risk assessment and forecasting tools.
• Hold annual in-person meetings and interim virtual meetings to exchange data, identify emerging issues, and coordinate responses.
• Communicate with corn commodity groups, seed and agrochemical industry personnel, and government agencies to leverage complementary expertise, improve coordination, and enhance corn disease management strategies for farmers.
• Disseminate findings through Extension publications, meetings, and national outlets such as the Crop Protection Network.

Expected Outcomes and Impacts

Projected Participation

View Participation Form/Appendix E: Participation

Educational Plan

Members of the Corn Disease Working Group will deliver information to farmers, crop consultants, local extension staff, agribusiness personnel, and educators, among other stakeholders, through Extension programs, field days, webinars, factsheets, disease prediction models, decision-support tools, and digital platforms. Materials will be practical, clearly written, and suitable for use by corn farmers and agriculture professionals operating across different production systems. Collaboration with existing multistate initiatives, including the Crop Protection Network, will ensure broad dissemination and consistency of messaging.

Organization/Governance

Governance of the Corn Disease Working Group will follow standard procedures for multistate ERAs. Two officers, a chair and a secretary, will be elected by the membership for one-year terms. The secretary will record and distribute meeting minutes and prepare annual reports, then assume the role of chair in the subsequent year. The chair will coordinate committee activities, serve as liaison with the administrative advisor, and oversee planning of annual meetings.

Literature Cited

Attachments

Land Grant Participating States/Institutions

Non Land Grant Participating States/Institutions