Although most corn in Kentucky is planted following a rotation to other crops, individual producers are often interested in planting corn following corn. In these situations, one of their main concerns is increased pressure from diseases, and rightfully so.
Crop rotation is one of the most fundamental disease control practices available.
Furthermore, as infested crop residues decompose, pathogens are exposed to antagonism by native soil microbes. These mechanisms have the effect of naturally eradicating many pathogens from the soil. Numerous diseases can be more active under continuous corn, particularly those caused by pathogens that survive in crop residue or in the soil. Three are important enough under Kentucky conditions that they deserve specific management attention. This disease is a significant threat wherever corn is grown after corn.