Description

Anthracnose Leaf Blight is caused by the fungus, Colletrotrichum graminicola (Cg), produces leaf lesions, stalk rot, and can lead to yield losses. The pathogen overwinters as mycelium in corn residue and spores are often dispersed by splashing water. Lesions on the lower leaves can act as inoculum for the upper leaves (Crop Protection Network. (2019) Anthracnose Leaf Blight of Corn).

Northern Corn Leaf Spot (NCLS), aka Carbonum or Helminthosporium leaf spot, is caused by the fungus Bipolaris zeicola (Bz, aka Cochliobolus carbonum). The symptoms of NCLS vary by race and can be used for differentiation of races. However, severe infection by any race can kill the entire leaf (Wise, et al. (2016)).

Southern Corn Leaf Blight (SCLB) is caused by the fungus, Bipolaris maydis (Bm). Stalk and leaf infections start as purple spots which then develop tan-gray centers. Ear infections produce gray-black lesions on the husks, extending to the kernels as a black, feltlike mold. All three of these diseases are commonly confused with one another and laboratory diagnosis is recommended to distinguish them (Crop Protection Network. (2019) Southern Corn Leaf Blight of Corn.).

This project was funded by NPMTI