Challenges from fungal disease not left behind in 2025

Kristen Sindelar
Jan 16, 2026
Jan 16, 2026

Corn review 2.jpg — Tar spot moved into Illinois early, forcing farmers to adjust management plans on the fly.
Submitted photo

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

Run into a farmer at the local coffee shop or parts counter, and conversation invariably turns to the weather. But in 2025, discussions gravitated to the surmounting problem in fields: fungal disease.

kAm“{@@<:?8 324< 2E a_ad[ @FED:56 @7 64@?@>:4 :?7=F6?46D E96 8C@H:?8 492==6?86D H6C6 >2:?=J 5:D62D6D[” D2:5 %C2G:D vFDE27D@?[ 28C@?@>:4 D6CG:46 C6AC6D6?E2E:G6 7@C $J?86?E2]k^Am

kAm(:E9 2 E6CC:E@CJ 4@G6C:?8 46?EC2= 2?5 H6DE6C? }63C2D<2[ vFDE27D@? D2H H:56DAC625 :>A24ED 7C@> 7F?82= 5:D62D6] %9:D H2D ECF6 24C@DD }63C2D<2 2?5 :?E@ @E96C >:5H6DE6C? DE2E6D[ 2D H6==] %2C DA@E 2?5 D@FE96C? CFDE H6C6 E96 >2:? 4F=AC:ED :? 4@C?7:6=5D[ H:E9 H9:E6 >@=5 2?5 DF556? 562E9 DJ?5C@>6 A=28F:?8 D@J362?D]k^Am

Fungal disease 1.jpg — In a rare turn of events, Southern corn rust hit hard in the Midwest two years in a row.
Image from Crop Protection Network

kAm%96 :?E6?D:EJ 2?5 C2A:5 DAC625 @7 E96D6 5:D62D6D :D 2=2C>:?8] %2C DA@E H2D :?:E:2==J 4@?7:C>65 :? ?@CE962DE6C? }63C2D<2 :? ~4E@36C a_a`] x? =6DD E92? 7@FC J62CD[ :E 92D ?@H 366? :56?E:7:65 :? ?62C=J 6G6CJ 4@F?EJ 62DE @7 w:89H2J gb]k^Am

kAm“%2C DA@E DE2CE65 2=@?8 E96 |:DD@FC: #:G6C 3@C56C:?8 x@H2 2?5 :D >2C49:?8 :ED H2J 24C@DD E96 DE2E6[” D2:5 vFDE27D@?]k^Am

kAm|2AD @? E96 rC@A !C@E64E:@? }6EH@C< Wr!}X D9@H E2C DA@E’D AC@8C6DD:@? D:?46 a_a_] %96?[ :E H2D AC6G2=6?E :? 2 D:I\DE2E6 C68:@? 2C@F?5 E96 vC62E {2<6D 2?5 5@H? :?E@ x@H2 2?5 |:??6D@E2] xE 92D D:?46 6IA=@565 :?E@ `e DE2E6D 2?5 2 H:56?:?8 A@CE:@? @7 r2?252]k^Am

kAmvFDE27D@? 6IAC6DD65 4@?46C? 7@C E2C DA@E :? E96 a_ae 8C@H:?8 D62D@?[ D2J:?8[ “(96C6 :E’D 366? AC6D6?E 7@C E96 A2DE 76H J62CD[ :E D66>D E@ C62==J :?E6?D:7J :? D6G6C:EJ]”k^Am

Fungal disease 2.jpg — Tar spot continues to expand in all directions from its origins near the Great Lakes region. These maps compare its spread from 2020 (left image) and 2025.
Images from Crop Protection Network

kAmtBF2==J 5:D4@?46CE:?8 :D E96 A6CD:DE6?46 @7 D@FE96C? 4@C? CFDE] vFDE27D@? 6IA=2:?65 E92E E9:D H:?53@C?6 7F?82= 5:D62D6 92D E@ “3=@H :?” 7C@> E96 $@FE9j EJA:42==J[ :E :D 325 @?6 D62D@? 3FE ?@E E96 ?6IE] $:?46 D@FE96C? CFDE 925 9:E 92C5 :? a_ac[ 28C@?@>:DED 2?5 AC@5F46CD H6C6 42F89E @77 8F2C5 E96 7@==@H:?8 J62C H96? :E C2>A65 FA 282:?]k^Am

kAm“$@FE96C? CFDE @? 4@C? 42>6 :? C62==J 325 282:? 7@C 2 D64@?5 J62C :? 2 C@H[ H9:49 92D ?6G6C 92AA6?65 E92E x 42? C6>6>36C[” D2:5 vFDE27D@?[ H9@ 92D 366? H@C<:?8 7@C $J?86?E2 7@C 2=>@DE `c J62CD]k^Am

kAmx? a_ac[ $@FE96C? CFDE 5@>:?2E65 2 4@?46?EC:4 C68:@? E92E 6?4@>A2DD65 E96 6?E:C6 62DE6C? 92=7 @7 $@FE9 s2<@E2 2?5 }63C2D<2[ 725:?8 @FE :?E@ A2CED @7 z2?D2D[ x@H2[ |:??6D@E2 2?5 2 76H @FE=J:?8 DE2E6D 36J@?5] %96 a_ad r!} >2A C6G62=D 8C62E6C 4@?46?EC2E:@?D @7 D@FE96C? CFDE :? 2== E96 r@C?36=E DE2E6D 2?5 6G6CJ DE2E6 5@H? E@ v6@C8:2] $@FE96C? CFDE H2D 4@?7:C>65 :? e_T @7 4@F?E:6D :? x@H2[ H:E9 ?@ 52E2 E@ G6C:7J :7 :E H2D :? E96 C6>2:?:?8 4@F?E:6D] x@H2 72C>6C |:<6 w2>>6D 36=:6G6D E96 6?E:C6 DE2E6 H2D 27764E65]k^Am

People are also reading…

Iowa farmer sees new path for agriculture
Meristem focuses on reducing crop input costs for farmers
Proposals aim to improve pool of rural veterinarians
From rose farms to rice fields, travel continues
Study reveals how bull buyers use key genetic information
With labor tight, incentives key to finding the right help
Livestock sector struggles to fill labor need
C-B Charolais 40th Annual Production Sale
Rural America at its finest: fire relief efforts in Nebraska show best of humanity
McCumber Angus Ranch Production Sale
Geopolitical issues influencing soybean market
From the field to the heart: one man's mission to change how farmers talk about mental health
Mitchell Tech students present research at Commodity Classic
Snap2Graze: grazing cereal rye really can be that simple
Hemingford FFA grows leaders for tomorrow

kAm“$@FE96C? CFDE H2D 2 9F86 AC@3=6> :? a_ad[” D2:5 w2>>6D[ H9@ C6EFC?65 E@ E96 72>:=J 72C> 27E6C 8C25F2E:?8 7C@> x@H2 $E2E6 &?:G6CD:EJ `_ J62CD 28@] w6 C2:D6D C@H 4C@AD H:E9 9:D 72E96C 2?5 3C@E96C ?62C u2:C7:6=5 :? D@FE962DE6C? x@H2]k^Am

kAm%96 H62E96C =2DE J62C 4C62E65 E96 A6C764E 6?G:C@?>6?E 7@C 5:D62D6[ w2>>6D C67=64E65] p 5CJ A=2?E:?8 D62D@? 2==@H65 7@C E:>6=J A=2?E:?8[ 7@==@H65 3J 256BF2E6 C2:?D F?E:= pF8FDE] w2CG6DE H6?E D>@@E9=J H:E9 =:EE=6 E@ ?@ C2:? 56=2JD]k^Am

kAm“xE H2D 2 J62C J@F C62==J 9@A6 E@ 92G6—36D:56D 2== E96 5:D62D6[” D2:5 w2>>6D]k^Am

kAmx? E2=<:?8 H:E9 @E96C 72C>6CD :? A66C 8C@FAD 2?5 9:D ?6:893@C9@@5[ w2>>6D 7@F?5 E92E 5:D62D6 H2D 6G6CJ@?6’D E@F896DE 492==6?86] “p =@E @7 H92E H6 E2=<65 23@FE H2D 9@H AC@3=6>2E:4 :E H2D 7@C 2== @7 FD E@ @G6C4@>6[” 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAmx? C6DA@?D6 E@ :?E6?D6 7F?82= 5:D62D6[ E96 w2>>6D @A6C2E:@? FAA65 7F?8:4:56 C2E6D 7C@> f E@ `_ @F?46D] %96J D2H 2 5:776C6?46 :? 2 E6DE DEC:A =67E F?EC62E65 2D A2CE @7 E96 #62= #6DF=ED *:6=5 r92==6?86 DA@?D@C65 3J qp$u]k^Am

kAm“(6 5:5?’E <?@H H92E E@ 6IA64E[ 3FE E96C6 EFC?65 @FE E@ 36 2 D:8?:7:42?E J:6=5 5:776C6?46 @7 e_ 3FD96=D :? E96 DEC:A H6 =67E 5@H? E96 46?E6C @7 E96 7:6=5 2?5 E92E DAC2J65 H:E9 `_ @F?46D @7 '6=EJ>2[” w2>>6D D2:5]k^Am

kAmqp$u :?:E:2E65 E96 #62= #6DF=ED *:6=5 r92==6?86 27E6C 5:D4@G6C:?8 E92E @G6C h__ >:==:@? 3FD96=D @7 &]$] 4@C? 2?5 D@J362?D H6C6 =@DE 5F6 E@ 5:D62D6 :? a_ac[ J6E @?=J 2? 6DE:>2E65 cdT @7 E9@D6 24C6D H6C6 EC62E65 H:E9 7F?8:4:56D] %96 492==6?86 3642>6 E96 “=2C86DE ?2E:@?H:56 4@>A2C:D@? A=@ED AC@8C2>” H:E9 >@C6 E92? `[g__ 72C>6CD 2?5 b__ C6E2:=6CD 24C@DD b_ DE2E6D[ 244@C5:?8 E@ 2 AC6DD C6=62D6]k^Am

kAmx7 E96 DF3D6BF6?E 8C@H:?8 D62D@? 7@==@HD 2 D:>:=2C A2EE6C? E@ a_ad[ w2>>6D 2?E:4:A2E6D 92G:?8 E@ 2AA=J E96 962G:6C 5@D6 @7 7F?8:4:56 282:?[ >2J36 6G6? FD:?8 2 D64@?5 A2DD 2E 2 =@H6C C2E6]k^Am

kAmu2C>6CD 2C6 =@@<:?8 2E 92G:?8 E@ EC62E BF:E6 2 76H >@C6 24C6D H:E9 7F?8:4:56 :? a_ae[ 244@C5:?8 E@ vFDE27D@?] w6 24<?@H=65865 E96 64@?@>:4 492==6?86D E9:D H@F=5 A@D6[ 8:G6? E96 5:DA2C:EJ 36EH66? 4@>>@5:EJ AC:46D 2?5 :?AFE 4@DED]k^Am

kAm“w2G:?8 E@ 3F586E :? 6?92?465 A6DE >2?286>6?E H:== C62==J DBF66K6 >2C8:?D[ :7 E96J H6C6?’E 2=C625J E:89E 6?@F89[” vFDE27D@? 4@>>6?E65]k^Am

kAm$9@F=5 7F?82= 5:D62D6 36 2 492==6?86 282:? :? a_ae[ vFDE27D@? DF886DE65 AC@5F46CD 4@?D:56C EC62E>6?E @AE:@?D 7C@> AC6>:F> 3C2?5D] (9:=6 E96D6 AC@5F4ED >2J 36 >@C6 6IA6?D:G6 @? E96 7@C67C@?E[ E96J H:== =:<6=J AC@5F46 D@=:5 J:6=5D 2E E96 6?5 @7 E96 D62D@? E@ A2J 7@C :E[ 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAmw6 2=D@ 25G:D65 8C@H6CD E@ 6I2>:?6 H92E E96J 2C6 5@:?8 2E E96 7:6=5 =6G6=[ D2J:?8[ “"F6DE:@? 6G6CJE9:?8]” x7 D@>6E9:?8 :D?’E 3C:?8:?8 G2=F6 E@ J@FC @A6C2E:@?[ a_ae >2J 36 E96 J62C E@ C64@?D:56C :E] %9:D 2AA=:6D E@ :?AFED DF49 2D 76CE:=:K6C 2?5 7F?8:4:56[ 6BF:A>6?E[ 6G6? 2 A:646 @7 =2?5 J@F >2J 36 C6?E:?8]k^Am

kAm“%9:D H:== 36 E96 J62C E92E A6@A=6 H:== C62==J =@@< 2E 677:4:6?4:6D 2?5 ECJ E@ DBF66K6 E96 =2DE =:EE=6 3:E @FE @7 E92E 5@==2C E96J DA6?E[” D2:5 vFDE27D@?]k^Am

Reporter Kristen Sindelar has loved agriculture her entire life, coming from a diversified farm with three generations working side-by-side in northeastern Nebraska. Reach her at Kristen.Sindelar@midwestmessenger.com.