with SCLB on the middle and upper leaves was detected with infrared photography in 

 1970 in an experiment conducted by the Laboratory for Applications of Remote Sensing 

 (LARS) at Purdue University, in cooperation with Michigan State University. 



Currently, there is no experimental evidence that SCLB can be detected on infrared 

 or other film before it can be seen on the ground by examining the plants. Color 

 infrared film shows changes in the visible and near-infrared portion of the light 

 wave spectrum- -not in the thermal (heat) portion where differences in plant temper- 

 ature would be detectable. 



The Corn Blight Watch is being conducted by LARS, USDA, and NASA through the coopera- 

 tion of Purdue University, the University of Illinois, Michigan State University, and 

 others. It is an experiment . The object is to find out the extent to which diseases, 

 such as southern corn leaf blight, and other stress conditions can be detected by 

 using color infrared film; also, to differentiate such factors as drought stress or 

 nitrogen deficiency, which may look similar to SCLB. 



Thirty-six counties are involved in the project in Illinois. The flight lines run 

 from north to south in three strips-- (1) down the center of the state, (2) along 

 the eastern edge, and (3) along the western edge. A training session for Extension 

 advisers from the 36 counties will be held June 3 and 4 in Mumford Hall. Laying- 

 out plot lines and other phases of obtaining "ground truth" will be explained. Ed 

 Burns and Mai Shurtleff, University of Illinois Extension Plant Pathologists, will 

 complete the program with a refresher on the disease problem. 



READ THE LABEL AND FOLLOW ALL PRECAUTIONS 



This weekly report was prepared as follows : 



INSECTS: H.B. Petty, Steve Moore, Roscoe Randell , Don Kuhlman, and Tim Cooley , Col- 

 lege of Agriculture , University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , and the Illinois 

 Natural History Survey. 



WEEDS: Ellery Knake and Marshal McGlamery , Department of Agronomy . 



PLANT DISEASES: M.C. Shurtleff and Ed Burns, Department of Plant Pathology. 



AG COMMUNICATIONS: Ray Woodis . 



The information for this report was gathered by these people, staff members, county 

 Extension advisers, and others, in cooperation with the USDA Agricultural Research 

 Service, Plant Pest Control Branch. 



