Report on Emerging Agricultural Threats in Missouri and Implications for Sustainable Development Goals

Missouri’s agricultural sector, a cornerstone of the state’s economy valued at over $5 billion annually from corn and soybeans, faces an emergent threat from two incurable crop diseases. The confirmation of Red Crown Rot in soybeans and Corn Stunt in corn during the 2024 growing season poses a direct challenge to regional food security and economic stability. This development critically undermines progress toward key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).

Threat to Soybean Production: Red Crown Rot

Disease Profile and Transmission

Red Crown Rot, a fungal disease newly confirmed in Missouri’s Marion and Audrain counties, presents a significant challenge to sustainable agriculture.

• Causative Agent: A soil-borne fungus.
• Transmission: Spreads through soil, making identification and management extremely difficult.
• Treatment: There is no known cure or effective treatment once a field is infected.
• Symptoms: Often mimics other, less severe plant illnesses, delaying correct identification until mitigation is no longer possible.

Impact on SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 8 (Economic Growth)

The economic and food security implications of Red Crown Rot are severe. The disease directly threatens the viability of soybean farming, a critical component of the local and national food supply chain.

1. Yield Loss: Infected fields can experience yield reductions of 70% to 80%, severely impacting food availability (SDG 2).
2. Economic Disruption: Such losses endanger the livelihoods of farmers and the stability of the state’s multi-billion dollar crop industry, working against the objectives of SDG 8.

Challenges for SDG 12 (Responsible Production) and SDG 15 (Life on Land)

The nature of Red Crown Rot exposes vulnerabilities in current agricultural practices and ecosystem health.

• Unsustainable Management: Proposed containment methods, such as sanitizing farm equipment between fields, are considered highly impractical, highlighting a gap in sustainable production protocols (SDG 12).
• Ecosystem Health: As a soil-borne pathogen, the fungus degrades the health of terrestrial ecosystems (SDG 15), with long-term consequences for land productivity.
• Need for Innovation (SDG 9): The absence of a cure necessitates urgent research and development for resistant crop varieties and innovative soil management techniques.

Threat to Corn Production: Corn Stunt Disease

Disease Profile and Transmission

Corn Stunt, caused by pathogens transmitted by an insect vector, was also identified in Missouri in 2024, with corn leafhoppers confirmed in Lawrence, Vernon, and Boone counties.

• Causative Agent: A bacterium injected into the plant.
• Vector: Transmitted by the corn leafhopper insect.
• Treatment: Incurable once the plant is infected.
• Vulnerability: Late-planted corn crops are at significantly higher risk.

Impact on SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 8 (Economic Growth)

Corn Stunt poses a potentially absolute threat to corn harvests, which are vital for both food and economic output.

1. Total Crop Failure: The disease can cause 100% yield loss in affected crops, representing a complete failure to produce food and generate income from those assets, directly contravening the goals of SDG 2 and SDG 8.
2. Proactive Scouting: The University of Missouri recommends immediate scouting for symptoms, as no remedial action can be taken post-infection. Symptoms include leaf reddening and the growth of multiple, malformed ears with missing kernels.

Challenges for SDG 12 (Responsible Production) and SDG 15 (Life on Land)

The spread of Corn Stunt via an insect vector points to broader environmental and systemic challenges.

• Ecosystem Vulnerability: The presence and movement of the corn leafhopper highlight vulnerabilities within the agricultural ecosystem (SDG 15).
• Sustainable Pest Management: The inability to control the disease after infection underscores the critical need for developing integrated and sustainable pest management strategies (SDG 12) to prevent transmission.

Comprehensive Assessment of SDG Impacts

The emergence of these two diseases in Missouri creates a multi-faceted crisis that intersects with and threatens progress on several Sustainable Development Goals. A coordinated response rooted in partnership and innovation is essential.

• SDG 2 (Zero Hunger): Jeopardized by potentially catastrophic yield losses in two of the state’s most important food and feed crops.
• SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): The state’s $5 billion crop industry and the economic security of its farmers are at significant risk.
• SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production): The lack of effective treatments exposes weaknesses in current production systems and demands a transition to more resilient and sustainable agricultural practices.
• SDG 15 (Life on Land): The diseases underscore the fragility of agricultural ecosystems to soil-borne and insect-vectored pathogens, threatening biodiversity and land health.
• SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) & SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals): Addressing this threat requires urgent investment in scientific research and innovation, alongside strong partnerships between academic institutions like the University of Missouri, farmers, and agricultural commissions to develop and deploy effective solutions.

Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger

  • The article focuses on threats to Missouri’s two biggest cash crops, soybeans and corn, which are fundamental to the food supply chain. The potential for “massive yield losses” directly impacts food production and availability, which is the core of SDG 2.

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  • The article explicitly states that these crops generate “over $5 billion annually for the state” and that the new diseases could cause “massive agricultural and economic issues.” This directly connects to protecting economic resources and the livelihoods of farmers, which are central to SDG 8.

• SDG 15: Life on Land

  • The article discusses “Red crown rot,” a fungal disease that “moves through the soil.” The challenge of containing the disease within farm fields and the impracticality of sanitizing equipment relate to protecting terrestrial ecosystems from biological invasions and soil degradation.

• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

  • The article highlights the role of scientific research in addressing the crisis, mentioning plant pathologist Mandy Bish from the University of Missouri. The statement that “it’s up to the next generation to find a solution” underscores the need for scientific innovation to develop resilient agricultural practices.

What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 2.3: Double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers.

   • The article discusses the opposite effect, where new diseases threaten to drastically reduce agricultural productivity. Red crown rot can “reduce soybean yields by between 70% and 80%,” and corn stunt can cause “100% yield losses,” directly threatening the productivity and income of farmers.

2. Target 2.4: Ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices.

   • The article reveals the vulnerability of the current agricultural system. For red crown rot, it states there is “no cure” and “hardly any established management practices to mitigate it.” For corn stunt, it notes that once symptoms appear, “there’s nothing farmers can do to save the crop.” This highlights the urgent need for more resilient agricultural practices.

3. Target 8.2: Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation.

   • The economic threat posed by the diseases, which could jeopardize a “$5 billion” industry in Missouri, points to the need for innovation. The reliance on a University of Missouri researcher and the call for future solutions emphasize the importance of technological and scientific advancement in protecting economic productivity in the agricultural sector.

4. Target 15.3: Combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil.

   • The spread of a soil-borne fungus like red crown rot can be seen as a form of land degradation, as it contaminates the soil and renders it less productive for specific crops. The article mentions the difficulty of “containing a farm field’s soils,” which relates directly to preventing the spread of soil degradation.

Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Crop Yield Losses

   • The article provides specific quantitative data on the potential impact of the diseases. The figures “reduce soybean yields by between 70% and 80%” and “100% yield losses” for corn serve as direct indicators for measuring agricultural productivity (relevant to Target 2.3).

2. Economic Value of Crops

   • The article states that soybeans and corn make “over $5 billion annually for the state.” This figure can be used as a baseline indicator to measure the economic impact of the diseases and the effectiveness of any mitigation strategies (relevant to Target 8.2).

3. Geographic Spread of Disease

   • The article identifies the specific counties where the diseases have been confirmed: “Marion and Audrain” for red crown rot and “Lawrence, Vernon, and Boone counties” for corn stunt. Tracking the number of affected counties or acreage can serve as an indicator of the spread of land degradation (relevant to Target 15.3).

SDGs, Targets and Indicators Analysis

Source: ksdk.com