Goss's Wilt (photo courtesy Iowa State University)


Goss's Wilt is prevalent in parts of the Manitoba corn crop.

The disease was first confirmed in the province in 2009, when it was discovered near Roland.

Holly Derksen, plant pathologist with Manitoba Agriculture, says there's a high rate of infection in the Altona area this year.

"I think the reason we're seeing it there is because there's been more hail there. Hail will cause wounds in the plant and that's what allows the bacteria to infect the crop," she explains.

She doesn't expect the disease to have dramatic impact on yield.

Crop rotation and tillage are the two main ways of controlling the disease.

"Again it's a bacterial disease, so there are no control methods as far as chemical control. It's mostly about rotation, which I think the reason we started to see it here was guys growing corn on corn," she says.

Seed companies are also looking into levels of resistance in current and upcoming varieties.