A significant stride has been made by researchers from the University of Minnesota, who have developed a novel process that allows for the infection of corn plants with the tar spot pathogen directly within their field environments. This discovery, critical for advancing our grasp of a disease that first showed up in Minnesota in 2019, is set to transform how scientists engage with this agricultural threat. As reported by the University of Minnesota, the research findings enable crucial fieldwork for studying the disease, which has been challenging the United States corn production.
In an accomplishment funded by the University’s Minnesota Invasive Terrestrial Plants and Pests Center, with the support of the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources, the process for inducing the infection was reported. Recent accounts indicating the resurgence of corn tar spot this year are coming from states that include Kansas, Iowa, and Missouri. José E. Solórzano, a University of Minnesota graduate student and lead author of the study, shared insight on the breakthrough stating, "We have figured out how to induce the disease in controlled and field environments, which enhances our research and understanding of the disease, and we expect it will help other researchers as well."
The study's methodology outlined how to collect, prepare, and apply the inoculum to corn plants to initiate tar spots in an outdoor agricultural setting. Researchers uncovered that not only can a single inoculation event kick-start the disease but also that the inoculum can stay viable for up to 10 months at -20 degrees Celsius and still lead to infection. Moreover, the pathogen's ability to develop and proliferate in less humid and drier conditions, than previously thought hospitable, has been a novel finding. Co-author Dean Malvick, a professor at the Colorado of Food, Agricultural, and Natural Resource Sciences, pointed out the importance of this work, stating, "Corn tar spot is a new and emerging disease that is poorly understood. This work advances the capacity to conduct research leading to improved understanding and management of this disease."
Exploring the biology of the tar spot-causing pathogen and the pathogen's host range will be the researchers' focus moving forward as they strive to formulate more effective management strategies. Further details on the College of Food, Agricultural, and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) and the Minnesota Invasive Terrestrial Plants and Pests Center (MITPPC) can be found on their respective websites, highlighting the institutions' commitment to addressing critical challenges in agriculture and the environment through innovative research and education.
