A Corn Fungus From the Southern U.S. Is Found Across Iowa, Putting Yields at Risk

Aug 04, 2025

By Rachel Cramer

A fungus that attacks corn has spread to over 40 Iowa counties.

Southern rust creates reddish-orange patches on the tops of corn leaves. This blocks photosynthesis, which weakens the plant and can reduce yields. Severe cases in Florida reported losses up to 45%.

“It's unlikely that we would see yield losses that significant here in Iowa, but there is potential this year to see more yield loss than we would see in a usual year,” said Meaghan Anderson, an extension field agronomist with Iowa State University.

She added that this isn’t the first time southern rust has been found in Iowa. But it was detected earlier this year with reports coming in mid-July. The disease is also much more widespread.

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Video: Our Own On-Farm Research Is the Best Source - Managing White Mold in Northeast Nebraska

If you assumed Nebraska was too hot and dry for white mold to be a problem in soybeans, think again.

This week we're featuring Galen Samuelson, a farmer and dealer from Wakefield, Nebraska, who knows all too well how devastating white mold can be.

"We don't have it consistently every year, but with our temperature and humidity, it can hurt us quite bad," Samuelson says. Looking for alternatives, he explains, "What I like about Heads Up is that it's non-harmful to the beneficial fungal colonies in the soil." Galen has been using Heads Up for several years now, after first hearing about it through a small ad in a regional newspaper. Watch below to hear about his journey.

When asked to write about Samuelson Seed, Galen said the following:

"Samuelson Seed is a 4th-generation, family-based company. It started with my grandfather, and I'm now starting to pass the torch to my son, Caleb."

"In the early 1990s, I started working with a company whose focus was on plant and soil health before those benefits were widely known. I've continued to keep plant and soil health the main focus in our farming operation decisions."