By Tamra Jackson-Ziems and Kyle Broderick et.al
Key Takeaways
Corn stunt disease and corn leafhopper were first reported in 11 new states in 2024 including Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and more, marking a northward expansion of both the insect and pathogen.
Nebraska confirmed corn stunt disease in two Jefferson County fields and one Burt County field in 2024 but has not detected the pathogen yet in 2025.
Corn leafhopper presence has been confirmed in multiple Nebraska counties over two growing seasons, with continued monitoring underway.
Economic damage is unlikely so far because the pest and pathogen have arrived late in the season.
Management focuses on cultural practices such as early planting and volunteer corn control, as insecticide options remain limited and thresholds are still being developed.
A new corn pest is creeping into the Midwest, and Nebraska growers may soon have to contend with its arrival.
In 2024, corn stunt disease and its insect vector — the corn leafhopper (Dalbulus maidis), which transmits the pathogen — were reported for the first time in Oklahoma and Kansas. Scouting efforts in Nebraska intensified during the 2024 and 2025 growing seasons in response to these detections.
Eleven symptomatic corn samples from Nebraska fields were submitted for testing in 2024, with two Jefferson County samples testing positive by initial PCR tests for corn stunt. An additional sample submitted from Burt County, Nebraska tested positive for corn stunt spiroplasma (CSS) (by DNA sequencing analysis), one of the pathogens responsible for causing the disease.
Source : unl.edu