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Northern corn leaf blight (NCLB) has been reported in numerous fields in Iowa.  Most of the reports have come from central and western Iowa, but since the pathogen that causes this disease is spread by wind and rain, the disease could be more widespread.

Fungicide use in corn production in the United States was a rare practice for much of its history as a commercial grain. Only recently has fungicide increased rapidly, specifically between 2000 and 2010. While the use of fungicide on the crop grew exponentially, plant pathologists did not record an increase in fungal foliar disease pressure in corn.