Is corn at risk in northern Argentina? Soybean behavior may hold the answer.

Late-planted maize is strategically important for northern Argentina. It is one of the crops with the greatest technological development, provides a good amount of crop residue, and plays a fundamental role in crop sequences. However, its continued production faces growing challenges: long-distance freight costs that weigh more heavily than those for soybeans (because nearly twice as much grain is transported per hectare), higher costs, highly variable yields, and production risks that are difficult to anticipate. Many producers are asking under what conditions it is viable to grow maize and how much it actually contributes to the crop sequence. In recent growing seasons, much of the attention has focused on the maize stunting complex, associated with pathogens transmitted by the corn leafhopper (*Dalbulus maidis*). Its impact is undeniable where vector pressure is high. But attributing a large share of poor results to it can obscure other processes and lead to mistaken diagnoses. ...