WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Wet, cool conditions not only keep farmers out of the fields, but also favor moldy corn. One Purdue University specialist is getting calls from around the state about Diplodia and Gibberella ear rots in corn.

A pink mold that starts at the ear tip is characteristic of Gibberella ear rot. (Photo A. Robertson)

There’s a lot of Diplodia ear rot throughout Indiana, especially in the northeast and southeast, said Charles Woloshuk, a Purdue Extension pathologist who specializes in corn mycotoxins. Anywhere from a few percent to up to 30 percent of the ears are infected, he said.

Diplodia ear rot is characterized by a grayish or grayish-brown mold on and between the kernels on part of the ear. Gibberella ear rot, also known as Gib, is characterized by a pink to reddish mold, which begins at the tip of the ear and develops toward the base. Gib is easy to identify in the field on intact ears, but is more difficult to spot once the grain has been shelled.

Woloshuk encouraged producers and elevators to know what’s going on in their area. Producers need to walk their fields, pull 10 ears and determine if they have either Diplodia or Gibberella and the frequency, he said.

“If it’s Gib ear rot, then there’s concern about the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol, or DON, as well as zearalenone. If suspect, the grain should be tested, especially if it’s to be fed to livestock,” Woloshuk said.

Purdue Extension pathologist Charles Woloshuk holds one good corn ear and one infected by Diplodia ear rot. (Purdue Agricultural Communication photo)

Two grain inspectors in the central and north-central regions of Indiana who analyze grain for DON are East Indiana Grain Inspection Inc., located at 7020 N. Walnut St. in Muncie, and Titus Grain Inspection Inc., located at 1111 E. County Road 800 North in West Lafayette.

“If it’s Diplodia, there is no need to be concerned about mycotoxins. However, if you are feeding a high percentage of moldy grain, that’s still not good,” Woloshuk said. “In either case, the grain needs to be harvested as soon as possible and dried for storage. This grain should not be stored through the summer months.”

Farmers also are encouraged to adjust combines to reduce the amount of fine and small, shriveled or broken kernels.

Growers that have problems this year with either Gib or Diplodia can take steps to help prevent a reoccurrence.

Genetics are involved with Diplodia, Woloshuk said.

“If a producer had a problem this year with a specific hybrid, then I would not plant that hybrid again,” he said.

With either of the diseases, the crop residue should be tilled under because that’s where the pathogens can survive, Woloshuk said. He also recommended rotating to soybeans.

For questions and additional information about Diplodia or Gib, contact Woloshuk at 765-494-3450, woloshuk@purdue.edu

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Indiana floods in 2008 and 2009 have left many victims and volunteers wondering how to deal with mold issues.

A Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service IP video event at 2 p.m. May 5 will answer those questions. Experts from Purdue and the Indiana State Department of Health will teach both victims and volunteers helping with flood cleanup how to fight mold and how to stay safe and healthy while removing it.

Experts from Purdue and the Indiana State Department of Health will teach both victims and volunteers helping with flood cleanup how to fight mold and how to stay safe and healthy while removing it.

“We have talked with the case managers of the long-term recovery committees active in Indiana, and mold issues still remain from 2008 and new mold issues are arising in houses flooded in 2009,” said Steve Cain, Purdue Extension specialist and president of the Indiana Voluntary Organization Active in Disaster. “There are many reasons why mold problems persist. Some houses have mold growing in the crawl space, some houses were not cleaned properly and other houses were repaired before they were allowed to properly dry out.”

Scheduled topics include:

• “Drying Out the House,” Karen Zotz, Purdue Extension program leader for consumer and family sciences
• “Personal Safety in Moldy Homes,” Ron Clark, industrial hygienist with the Indiana State Department of Health
• “Cleaning and Removing Mold,” Denise Schroeder, educator, Purdue Extension White County
• “Removing Mold from the House,” Schroeder

Also included will be a question-and-answer session for participants, information on how to contact the mold team for local presentations, and a list of educational materials available to help victims and volunteers deal with mold.

The event is free and will be offered at several Purdue Extension offices throughout the state. For more information about the program and host sites, contact Purdue Extension at 888-EXT-INFO (398-4636). Additional resources on mold can be found online at http://www.extension.purdue.edu/eden. Click on “Floods & Storms” and scroll down to the word “Molds.”