The leaf diseases resulted in an "early maturing" of the corn in many fields which was attributed erroneously to a late season heat stress in many popular reports. Annual Review of Phytopathology Vol. The first lesson we learned as a result of this disease outbreak was the importance of diversifying agriculture and maintaining an adequate degree of genetic variation in major crops. But that takes a certain level of commitment from a university or company so you don't have to start at ground zero when a problem hits.". This original concept of promoting some degree of variability was initially published in 1939, but we had to learn this lesson all over again in 1970. U of I continues to seek answers to the problems and plant diseases farmers are facing in the fields. The Impacts of the Southern Corn Leaf Blight Epidemics of 1970-1971. The two races were then re-designated as “Race T” for the new race virulent on Tcms corn and “Race O” for the old pathogenic race known worldwide as a minor pathogen for many years. These tremendous yield improvements allowed the United States to become the leader in this field, accounting for nearly one half of the world’s production. Race T was unknown until the time of the epidemic, although race O, which does not produce T-toxin was discovered decades earlier. An additional, but highly unusual factor contributing to the epidemic and its devastating effects was the arrival of a new race of the pathogen. During that summer, the southern leaf blight epidemic reduced corn yields by 20 to 25 percent nationwide, resulting in an estimated $1 billion loss. The lag time to implement the solution was about a year. Fortunately the solution was obvious almost immediately to U of I researchers. Monetary losses were officially estimated to total $1 billion (worth more than $6 billion dollars today) for the nation as a whole, with 20-30 percent yield loss averages being common. We are now well aware of the expensive lesson this disease epidemic has taught us; a lesson we should not have been forced to learn in 1970. Forty years ago, the Southern Corn Leaf Blight (SCLB) Epidemic, ravaged cornfields across the United States. Ullstrup, A.J. This idea had been considered in the early 1900s but was abandoned due to projected seed costs. Happily, yield results that year also returned to pre-1970 numbers, and in fact produced a new record crop nationally. The southern corn leaf blight epidemic. Part I summarized the development of hybrid corn, which played a major role in promoting the disease. acreage in the Corn Belt had slight or mild levels of infection. What is Southern Corn Leaf Blight? You have permission to edit this article. Former U of I researchers Art Hooker, Dave Smith and Sung Lim led the race to find answers to this disease. Later, it was determined that a new strain (race T) of the fungus produced a toxin (T­toxin) which was highly aggressive on "Our team met weekly to pool our results from the previous week and develop strategies for what research we'd move forward with next.". Our concern is with the effect of this disease, caused by the field fungus Hellllint!lOsjJoriulIl lIlaydis Nisik. The early start of the hurricane season reflects some similarities between the soybean rust situation and the southern corn leaf blight epidemic in 1970. "Ironically, our researchers already had solved the problem just as it was reaching the forefront of public interest," Pataky said. This crop serves as a particularly good example of the benefits and success of agricultural research in the U.S. No further disease outbreaks of a similar nature have occurred in corn production since that season of 1970. Nevertheless it is still clear that the effects of this disease were substantially damaging to the economies of the south and the Corn Belt, with the southern states being hit the hardest. Collectively, they all worked on identifying additional sources of resistance, their inheritance, SCLB economics and its ultimate control. The 1970 southern corn leaf blight epidemic focused public awareness on the risks of genetic vulnerability in crops. The potential for a disaster of this nature had been predicted by a number of scientists decades prior to the 1970 outbreak but no one paid attention to the warning signs. (Recall from Part I that the Tcms gene had been incorporated into almost 90 percent of the hybrids used in the United States due to its ability to produce seed more cost effectively without the laborious method of de-tasseling female seed plants). The Great Epidemic of Southern Corn Leaf Blight of 1970 startled this nation that thought that its technology was able to protect its supermarkets from the vagaries of Nature. The second lesson was the comprehension of the benefits resulting from the tremendous spirit of cooperation demonstrated among scientists both within and between various disciplines. Leaf diseases of corn in Iowa in 1990 were probably the most severe since the 1970 epidemic of Southern corn leaf blight. "Exploring the evolutionary history of the Cochliobolus heterostrophus Tox1 locus responsible for T-toxin production and the Southern Corn Leaf Blight Epidemic of 1970" - Jon Gonzalez Wednesday, May 1, 2019 at 12:20pm Plant Science Building, 404 Lesions are tan, somewhat rectangular in shape, and have reddish-brown margins. PM-toxin has exactly the same biological specificity as the polyketide secondary metabolite, T-toxin, produced by Cochliobolus heterostrophus race T causal agent of the 1970 Southern Corn Leaf Blight epidemic. Leaf blight, stalks rot, seedling blight and smuts are the most important diseases of corn crop (Hafiz, 1986). However, through the use of comparative inoculations of isolates collected in 1970 within the greenhouse, on Tcms and normal cytoplasm-type seedlings, confirmed the presence of a new distinct race of the pathogen. It was unusually wet in the United States that spring, thus further encouraging rapid progress of the disease northward. The rapid re sponse to the corn blight of 1970 greatly enhanced the scientific credibility of plant pathologists in the eyes of the agricultural community. 15% nationwide. It has been the subject of voluminous research in the efforts to mold it into different forms, including corn of all colors and sizes, field, sweet and popcorn; and for types adapted to differing environmental conditions. Enjoy more articles by logging in or creating a free account. The history of SCLB in the United States clearly illustrates the dangers of genetic uniformity in modern agriculture. The increased virulence was later demonstrated to be caused by a particular toxin (T-toxin) that only affected the T cytoplasm corn, while Race O did not produce the toxin and thus was not severe on either of the two types of corn. Had the season's weather been warmer and more hUJDid, blight development would have been greater. Department of … Pataky believes these researchers are great examples of how universities can help producers make progress. Fortunately the environmental conditions for most of the south were unfavorable for disease development in 1971, resulting in much less severe disease problems than the previous season. CONCLUDING REMARKS ~n 1970 an epiphytotic of Southern Corn Leaf Blight caused an ap­ proximate 15 percent loss to the nation's corn crop. The pathogen can also remain alive and viable on corn kernels or residue within fields. The answer goes back to the summer of 1970. Jerald Pataky, U of I professor in the department of crop sciences, said this was a "shining moment" for Illinois. Perhaps we are wiser now more than 40 years removed from this momentous event? ", Photos available for three months at http://images.itcs.uiuc.edu/media/sclb40/, Researchers reflect on southern corn leaf blight epidemic. and Miyake) swept the U.S. corn belt. Its spores can be windblown to adjacent areas, surviving in dead plant tissues for several years. Southern corn leaf blight of corn. The disease became epidemic throughout Florida in late February and early March. Following the severe Southern Corn Leaf Blight epidemic in 1970, his attention turned to the mechanism of action of the T-toxin in development of this disease. WASHINGTON, Aug. 15—An epidemic of a new strain of plant disease is sweeping the American corn farms with potentially devastating results. Southern corn leaf blight earned its place in history during an epidemic in 1970. Enjoy more articles by logging in or creating a free account the epidemic is one of the best examples how! The solution — detasseling — was spearheaded by corn pathologists at the University of Illinois does! Production of hybrids was an important factor in the production of hybrids was an important factor the. In remote sensing by corn pathologists at the University of Illinois had solved the problem just as was... Of genetic uniformity in modern agriculture researchers to study this disease came at cost. 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