Focus efforts of corn harvest where corn stalk rot appears first

Isolated cases of sprouted corn kernels and stalk rot may greet corn producers as they start harvest or continue to test to see if the crop is ready to come in. That s the case for some producers in Minnesota, according to University of Minnesota Extension corn specialist Jeff Coulter and plant pathology specialist Dean Malvick. Malvick adds that reports have been limited, indicating that there s not too many surprises afield in 2026. That s in comparison to 2025, when moist conditions and windy weather brought in some concerning diseases to corn fields. Issues of ear rot were unusual and localized to a report in the St. Cloud area in east central Minnesota last month, according to Malvick. Sprouted kernels were spotted in an isolated area of southwest Minnesota and beyond where it remained wet for an extended time shortly after the corn reached black layer, Coulter said. The phenomenon, also referred to as vivipary, can occur after corn grain reaches physiological mat