Early die is a syndrome in potatoes when plants die before the tubers reach their maximum size. It is caused by a fungus that infects plants through roots and invades the plant's water-conducting tissues and plants die prematurely. Early die does reduce yield depending on how early the fungus infects potato plants.

Well corn might be experiencing its own early die syndrome and it is apparent this year as corn plants die before black layer.

Mike McNeil with Ag Advisory Ltd. in Algona, Iowa said there are s some issues affecting corn this year. "Corn did die prematurely and there is quite a bit of top dieback. There is some a complex going on. It's not really good since corn is dying before black layer."

McNeil said that he first saw this in 2007 and again in 2008 but it is much worse in 2009 and most people don't recognize it as something out of the ordinary.

"There are a lot of things going on and that we don’t understand," said McNeil. We have been pulling off great yields and providing enough N, P and K but not paying enough attention to other nutrients. I am beginning to see a lot more micronutrient deficiencies in corn tissue tests. Something is weakening the crop and causing early death."

"We are seeing a complex going on creating this early die complex," said McNeil. He explained that the crop's system has been weakened and become vulnerable. And that late season appearance of diseases like anthracnose, leaf blight and fusarium crown rot are more common, that nutrients are lacking and plant health has somehow been compromised.

While he refers to early die as a complex and that it's real he is quick to point out that he really doesn't understand yet what is going on.

This may one of the new challenges in corn production - protecting the crop from early die to guarantee top end yield.