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ARS Home » Crop Production and Protection » Research » Research Project #440480

Research Project: Establishing the Infrastructure to Develop Prediction Tools for Diseases and Mycotoxins Affecting Corn to Better Inform Management Decisions

Location: Crop Production and Protection

Project Number: 0500-00102-001-026-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Jun 7, 2021
End Date: Jun 6, 2024

Objective:
Develop predictive modeling tools for Northern corn leaf blight (NCLB) and gray leaf spot (GLS). The first objective is to establish the association between inoculum intensity, disease development and weather in small plot trials for gray leaf spot and northern corn leaf blight of corn. The second objective is to establish the association between initial inoculum, disease development and weather in commercial corn fields for gray leaf spot and northern corn leaf blight.

Approach:
The Purdue University lab will conduct small plot experiments as outlined under Objectives 1 (To establish the association between inoculum intensity, disease development and weather in small plot trials) of the project. Experiments will be established at the Purdue University Pinney Purdue Agricultural Center (PPAC), near Wanatah IN. The cooperator-PI will supervise a research associate assigned to the project to collect, ship and/or process corn residue and aerosol samples, monitor tar spot, gray leaf sport, northern corn leaf blight, and ear rot development, and monitor growing conditions following the protocols detailed in the proposal. The lab technician will also quantify pathogen inoculum in terms of spore density in sample vials collected from spore traps placed within the small plot trials located in Indiana and collaborate with other states using Q-PCR.