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Non-Tech : Farming -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Cogito Ergo Sum who wrote (1350)	6/18/2008 3:29:21 PM
From: Tommaso	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 4448

Well, let's talk about something pleasant, like how CZZ has turned around and gone positive for the day! The ask on my calls is even 12.5% higher than it was when I bought them. More bad news from the flooded areas: By Ryan Davis Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES CHICAGO (Dow Jones)--The Iowa corn crop is vulnerable to a host of diseases following continuous wet weather, although disease-related yield loss is not yet a foregone conclusion, experts said Monday. Iowa, the nation's top corn-producing state, could see portions of its crop ravaged by a wide range of diseases that flourish in wet conditions. With some corn acreage already lost to flooding, there is an added premium on maximizing yields in areas left partially unscathed. Future weather conditions will determine the scope of disease prevalence and the resiliency of the battered corn crop, crop specialists said. An Array Of Crop Diseases Threaten If Wetness Continues "The likelihood of diseases has gone up considerably," said Virgil Schmitt, extension field agronomist at Iowa State University. " A lot of the fields are very uneven and have a putrid yellow color." In the wake of incessant rain, seedling blight is a commonly reported problem for Iowa corn farmers, said Schmitt. Seedling blight, which is bolstered by moist conditions, is a fungal infection that causes the corn seed to rot. The seed, which usually nourishes the crop for a period of its development, can die as a result. "It is kind of like pinching off the umbilical cord," said Schmitt. Given wet conditions, Iowa corn is also susceptible to Pythium stalk rot. Affected stalks often twist and fall over. "Pythium spores need water to swim in to get to the corn plant," said Alison Robertson, assistant professor of plant pathology at Iowa State University. "With all this water, we have these spores producing, and they are able to swim and get there." Recent hail storms in Iowa have exacerbated the situation by creating wounds in the plant, which are optimal for bacterium to enter, said Robertson. Nevertheless, Robertson said she hasn't yet heard of any corn crops in the state suffering from the stalk rot. If wet weather conditions continue in the state, the corn crop could also be susceptible to an array of other diseases, notably gray leaf spot, common rust and northern corn leaf blight, Robertson. "We're only going to see gray leaf spot, common rust and northern leaf blight if the humid and frequent rain events continue," Robertson said. "If it dries up, I don't expect them to be a problem." At least one crop ailment is already popping up. Iowa farmers are already reporting instances of the so-called "crazy top" pathogen, said Schmitt. "The 'crazy top' pathogen is very (much) like the Pythium (stalk rot); it needs water to affect the plant," said Robertson. "Under these flooded conditions, the spores of the fungus are able to swim in that water and infect the growing points." The "crazy top" pathogen disturbs the formation of the ear and can cause stunted growth. Yield Losses Dependent On Future Weather Experts agree that what remains of the Iowa corn crop after flooding could withstand potential diseases and produce a healthy yield. "It depends on (what happens) weather-wise from here on out," said George Cummins, extension field agronomist at Iowa State University. Given the great volatility of weather patterns, yield losses are still a concern, he said. "I suspect that we will have a far greater yield loss due to the flooding as opposed to the diseases," said Robertson, who added that a shift to drier weather conditions could mitigate the damage done by diseases. Schmitt also said yield losses from disease are not imminent. "We are now getting into a normal weather pattern," Schmitt said. "Mother Nature holds all the trump cards." According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Iowa planted 14.2 million acres in 2007, out of a total U.S. crop that covered 93.6 million acres. The USDA projects 86 million acres of corn to be planted in the U.S. in 2008. Of that total, 13.2 million acres are expected to be planted in Iowa. The USDA will release updated acreage estimates on June 30.