Goss’s Wilt Emerges as a Key Risk for South African Maize Producers in 2025/2026
Farmers Magazine | 26.01.2026 19:13
Over the past two seasons, South African maize producers have become increasingly aware of Goss’s bacterial wilt and blight, commonly known as Goss’s wilt. The disease is caused by the bacterium Clavibacter nebraskensis, first identified in the United States in 1969. For many years it remained an American problem, mainly affecting maize in the Corn Belt. Its recent detection in southern Africa has raised concern due to its potential impact on yields, trade, and national biosecurity.
