Diseases of Corn or Maize
(Zea mays L.)

M. C. Shurtleff, D. I. Edwards, G. R. Noel, W. L. Pedersen, and D. G. White, primary collators (last update 4/3/93)

BACTERIAL DISEASES

Bacterial leaf blight and stalk rot

Pseudomonas avenae subsp. avenae Manns

Bacterial leaf spot

Xanthomonas campestris pv. holcicola (Elliott) Dye

Bacterial stalk rot

Enterobacter dissolvens (Rosen) Brenner et al.

= Erwinia dissolvens (Rosen) Burkholder

Bacterial stalk and top rot

Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora (Jones) Bergey et al.

Erwinia chrysanthemi pv. zeae (Sabet) Victoria et al.

Bacterial stripe

Pseudomonas andropogonis (Smith) Stapp

Chocolate spot

Pseudomonas syringae pv. coronafaciens (Elliott) Young et al.

Goss's bacterial wilt and blight (leaf freckles and wilt)

Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. nebraskensis (Vidaver &
    Mandel) Davis et al.

= Corynebacterium michiganense pv. nebraskense
    (Schuster et al.) Dye & Kemp

Holcus spot

Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae van Hall

Purple leaf sheath

Hemiparasitic bacteria + (See under Fungi)

Seed rot-seedling blight

Bacillus subtilis (Ehrenberg) Cohn

Stewart's disease (bacterial wilt)

Erwinia stewartii (Smith) Dye

Corn stunt (achapparramiento, maize stunt, Mesa Central or Rio Grande maize stunt)

Spiroplasma kunkelii Whitcomb et al.

FUNGAL DISEASES

Anthracnose leaf blight and anthracnose stalk rot

Colletotrichum graminicola (Ces.) G.W. Wils.

(teleomorph: Glomerella graminicola Politis)

Glomerella tucumanensis (Speg.) Arx & E. Müller

(anamorph: Glomerella falcatum Went)

Aspergillus ear and kernel rot

Aspergillus flavus Link:Fr.

Banded leaf and sheath spot*

Rhizoctonia solani Kühn

= Rhizoctonia microsclerotia J. Matz

(teleomorph: Thanatephorus cucumeris (A.B. Frank) Donk)

Black bundle disease

Acremonium strictum W. Gams

= Cephalosporium acremonium Auct. non Corda

Black kernel rot*

Lasiodiplodia theobromae (Pat.) Griffon & Maubl.

= Botryodiplodia theobromae Pat.

Borde blanco*

Marasmiellus sp.

Brown spot (black spot, stalk rot)

Physoderma maydis (Miyabe) Miyabe

Cephalosporium kernel rot

Acremonium strictum W. Gams

= Cephalosporium acremonium Auct. non Corda

Charcoal rot

Macrophomina phaseolina (Tassi) Goidanich

Corticium ear rot*

Thanatephorus cucumeris (A.B. Frank) Donk

= Corticium sasakii (Shirai) Matsumoto

Curvularia leaf spot

Curvularia clavata P.C. Jain

C. eragrostidis (Henn.) J.A. Meyer

= C. maculans (Bancroft) Boedijn

(teleomorph: Cochliobolus eragrostidis (Tsuda & Ueyama)
    Sivanesan

Curvularia inaequalis (Shear) Boedijn

C. intermedia Boedijn

(teleomorph: Cochliobolus intermedius R.R. Nelson)

Curvularia lunata (Wakk.) Boedijn

(teleomorph: Cochliobolus lunatus R.R. Nelson & Haasis)

Curvularia pallescens Boedijn

(teleomorph: Cochliobolus pallescens (Tsuda & Ueyama)
    Sivanesan)

Curvularia senegalensis (Speg.) Subramanian

C. tuberculata P.C. Jain

(teleomorph: Cochliobolus tuberculatus Sivanesan)

Didymella leaf spot*

Didymella exitalis (Morini) E. Muller

Diplodia ear rot and stalk rot

Diplodia frumenti Ellis & Everh.

(teleomorph: Botryosphaeria festucae (Lib.) Arx & E. Müller

Diplodia ear rot, stalk rot, seed rot and seedling blight

Diplodia maydis (Berk.) Sacc.

Diplodia leaf spot or leaf streak

Stenocarpella macrospora (Earle) Sutton

= Diplodia macrospora Earle

Downy mildews:

Brown stripe downy mildew*

Sclerophthora rayssiae Kenneth et al. var. zeae Payak & Renfro

Crazy top downy mildew

Sclerophthora macrospora (Sacc.) Thirumalachar et al.

= Sclerospora macrospora Sacc.

Green ear downy mildew (graminicola downy mildew)

Sclerospora graminicola (Sacc.) J. Schröt.

Java downy mildew*

Peronosclerospora maydis (Racib.) C.G. Shaw

= Sclerospora maydis (Racib.) Butler

Philippine downy mildew*

Peronosclerospora philippinensis (W. Weston) C.G. Shaw

= Sclerospora philippinensis W. Weston

Sorghum downy mildew

Peronosclerospora sorghi (W. Weston & Uppal) C.G. Shaw

= Sclerospora sorghi W. Weston & Uppal

Spontaneum downy mildew*

Peronosclerospora spontanea (W. Weston) C.G. Shaw

= Sclerospora spontanea W. Weston

Sugarcane downy mildew*

Peronosclerospora sacchari (T. Miyake) Shirai & Hara

= Sclerospora sacchari T. Miyake

Dry ear rot (cob, kernel and stalk rot)

Nigrospora oryzae (Berk. & Broome) Petch

(teleomorph: Khuskia oryzae H.J. Hudson)

Ear rots, minor

Alternaria alternata (Fr.:Fr.) Keissl.

= A. tenuis Nees

Aspergillus glaucus Link:Fr.

A. niger Tiegh.

Aspergillus spp.

Botrytis cinerea Pers.:Fr.

(teleomorph: Botryotinia fuckeliana (de Bary) Whetzel)

Cunninghamella sp.

Curvularia pallescens Boedijn

Doratomyces stemonitis (Pers.:Fr.) F.J.

= Cephalotrichum stemonitis (Pers.:Fr.) Link

Fusarium culmorum (Wm.G. Sm.) Sacc.

Gonatobotrys simplex Corda

Pithomyces maydicus (Sacc.) M.B. Ellis

Rhizopus microsporus Tiegh.

R. stolonifer (Ehrenb.:Fr.) Vuill.

= R. nigricans Ehrenb.

Scopulariopsis brumptii Salvanet-Duval

Ergot* (horse's tooth, diente de caballo)

Claviceps gigantea Fuentes et al.

(anamorph: Sphacelia sp.)

Eyespot

Aureobasidium zeae (Narita & Hiratsuka) J.M. Dingley

= Kabatiella zeae Narita & Hiratsuka

Fusarium ear and stalk rot

Fusarium subglutinans (Wollenweb. & Reinking)
    P.E. Nelson et al.

= F. moniliforme J. Sheld. var. subglutinans Wollenweb.
    & Reinking

Fusarium kernel, root and stalk rot, seed rot and seedling blight

Fusarium moniliforme J. Sheld.

(teleomorph: Gibberella fujikuroi (Sawada) Ito in Ito &
    K. Kimura)

Fusarium stalk rot, seedling root rot

Fusarium avenaceum (Fr.:Fr.) Sacc.

(teleomorph: Gibberella avenacea R.J. Cooke)

Gibberella ear and stalk rot

Gibberella zeae (Schwein.) Petch

(anamorph: Fusarium graminearum Schwabe)

Gray ear rot

Botryosphaeria zeae (G.L. Stout) Arx & E. Müller

= Physalospora zeae G.L. Stout

(anamorph: Macrophoma zeae Tehon & E.Y. Daniels)

Gray leaf spot (Cercospora leaf spot)

Cercospora sorghi Ellis & Everh.

= C. sorghi Ellis & Everh. var. maydis Ellis & Everh.

C. zeae-maydis Tehon & E.Y. Daniels

Helminthosporium root rot

Exserohilum pedicellatum (A.W. Henry) K.J. Leonard
    & E.G. Suggs

= Helminthosporium pedicellatum A.W. Henry

(teleomorph: Setosphaeria pedicellata (R.R. Nelson) K.J.
    Leonard & E.G. Suggs)

Hormodendrum ear rot (Cladosporium rot)

Cladosporium cladosporioides (Fresen.) G.A. De Vries

= Hormodendrum cladosporioides (Fresen.) Sacc.

C. herbarum (Pers.:Fr.) Link

(teleomorph: Mycosphaerella tassiana (De Not.) Johans.)

Hyalothyridium leaf spot*

Hyalothyridium maydis Latterell & Rossi

Late wilt*

Cephalosporium maydis Samra et al.

Leaf spots, minor

Alternaria alternata (Fr.:Fr.) Keissl.

Ascochyta maydis G.L. Stout

A. tritici S. Hori & Enjoji

A. zeicola Ellis & Everh.

Bipolaris victoriae (F. Meehan & Murphy) Shoemaker

= Helminthosporium victoriae F. Meehan & Murphy

(teleomorph: Cochliobolus victoriae R.R. Nelson)

C. sativus (Ito & Kuribayashi) Drechs. ex Dastur

(anamorph: Bipolaris sorokiniana (Sacc.) Shoemaker

= H. sorokinianum Sacc. in Sorokin

= H. sativum Pammel et al.)

Epicoccum nigrum Link

Exserohilum prolatum K.J. Leonard & E.G. Suggs

= Drechslera prolata (K.J. Leonard & E.G. Suggs) Sivanesan

(teleomorph: Setosphaeria prolata K.J. Leonard & E.G.
    Suggs)

Graphium penicillioides Corda

Leptosphaeria maydis G.L. Stout

Leptothyrium zeae G.L. Stout

Ophiosphaerella herpotricha (Fr.:Fr.) J. C. Walker

(anamorph: Scolecosporiella sp.)

Paraphaeosphaeria michotii (Westend.) O. Eriksson

Phoma sp.

Septoria zeae G.L. Stout

S. zeicola G.L. Stout

S. zeina G.L. Stout

Northern corn leaf blight (white blast, crown stalk rot, stripe)

Setosphaeria turcica (Luttrell) K.J. Leonard & E.G. Suggs (anamorph: Exserohilum turcicum (Pass.) K.J. Leonard &
    E.G. Suggs

• = Helminthosporium turcicum Pass.)

Northern corn leaf spot, Helminthosporium ear rot (race 1)

Cochliobolus carbonum R.R. Nelson (anamorph: Bipolaris zeicola (G.L. Stout) Shoemaker

• = Helminthosporium carbonum Ullstrup)

Penicillium ear rot (blue eye, blue mold)

Penicillium spp.

P. chrysogenum Thom

P. expansum Link

P. oxalicum Currie & Thom

Phaeocytostroma stalk rot and root rot

Phaeocytostroma ambiguum (Mont.) Petr. & Syd.

= Phaeocytosporella zeae G.L. Stout

Phaeosphaeria leaf spot*

Phaeosphaeria maydis (P. Henn.) Rane, Payak & Renfro

= Sphaerulina maydis P. Henn.

Physalospora ear rot (Botryosphaeria ear rot)

Botryosphaeria festucae (Lib.) Arx & E. Müller

= Physalospora zeicola Ellis & Everh.

(anamorph: Diplodia frumenti Ellis & Everh.)

Purple leaf sheath

Hemiparasitic bacteria and fungi

Pyrenochaeta stalk rot and root rot

Phoma terrestris E.M. Hans.

= Pyrenochaeta terrestris (E.M. Hans.) Gorenz et al.

Pythium root rot

Pythium spp.

P. arrhenomanes Drechs.

P. graminicola Subramanian

Pythium stalk rot

Pythium aphanidermatum (Edson) Fitzp.

= P. butleri L. Subramanian

Red kernel disease (ear mold, leaf and seed rot)

Epicoccum nigrum Link

Rhizoctonia ear rot (sclerotial rot)

Rhizoctonia zeaeVoorhees

(teleomorph: Waitea circinata Warcup & Talbot)

Rhizoctonia root rot and stalk rot

Rhizoctonia solani Kühn

R. zeae Voorhees

Root rots, minor

Alternaria alternata (Fr.:Fr.) Keissl.

Cercospora sorghi Ellis & Everh.

Dictochaeta fertilis (S.J. Hughes & Kendrick)
    Holubova-Jechova

Fusarium acuminatum Ellis & Everh.

(teleomorph: Gibberella acuminata Wollenweb.)

F. equiseti (Corda) Sacc.

(teleomorph: G. intricans Wollenweb.)

F. oxysporum Schlechtend.:Fr.

F. pallidoroseum (Cooke) Sacc.

F. poae (Peck) Wollenweb.

F. roseum Link:Fr.

G. cyanogena (Desmaz.) Sacc.

(anamorph: F. sulphureum Schlechtend.)

Microdochium bolleyi (R. Sprague) DeHoog &
    Hermanides-Nijhof

Mucor sp.

Periconia circinata (L. Mangin) Sacc.

Phytophthora cactorum (Lebert & Cohn) J. Schrot.

P. drechsleri Tucker

P. nicotianae Breda de Haan var. parasitica (Dastur)
    G.M. Waterhouse

Rhizopus arrhizus A. Fischer

Rostratum leaf spot (Helminthosporium leaf disease, ear and stalk rot)

Setosphaeria rostrata K.J. Leonard (anamorph: Exserohilum rostratum (Drechs.) K.J. Leonard & E.G. Suggs

• = Helminthosporium rostratum Drechs.)

Rust, common corn

Puccinia sorghi Schwein.

Rust, southern corn

Puccinia polysora Underw.

Rust, tropical corn

Physopella pallescens (Arth.) Cummins & Ramachar

P. zeae (Mains) Cummins & Ramachar

= Angiopsora zeae Mains

Sclerotium ear rot* (southern blight)

Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc.

(teleomorph: Athelia rolfsii (Curzi) Tu & Kimbrough)

Seed rot-seedling blight

Bipolaris sorokiniana (Sacc.) Shoemaker

B. zeicola (G.L. Stout) Shoemaker

= Helminthosporium carbonum Ullstrup

Diplodia maydis (Berk.) Sacc.

Exserohilum pedicillatum (A.W. Henry) K.J. Leonard &
    E.G. Suggs

Exserohilum turcicum (Pass.) K.J. Leonard & E.G. Suggs

= Helminthosporium turcicum Pass.

Fusarium avenaceum (Fr.:Fr.) Sacc.

F. culmorum (Wm. G. Sm.) Sacc.

F. moniliforme J. Sheld.

Gibberella zeae (Schwein.) Petch

(anamorph: F. graminearum Schwabe)

Macrophomina phaseolina (Tassi) Goidanich

Penicillium spp.

Phomopsis sp.

Pythium spp.

Rhizoctonia solani Kühn

R. zeae Voorhees

Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc.

Spicaria sp.

Selenophoma leaf spot*

Selenophoma sp.

Sheath rot

Gaeumannomyces graminis (Sacc.) Arx & D. Olivier

Shuck rot

Myrothecium gramineum Lib.

Silage mold

Monascus purpureus Went

M. ruber Tiegh.

Smut, common

Ustilago zeae (Beckm.) Unger

= U. maydis (DC.) Corda)

Smut, false

Ustilaginoidea virens (Cooke) Takah.

Smut, head

Sphacelotheca reiliana (Kuhn) G.P. Clinton)

= Sporisorium holci-sorghi (Rivolta) K. Vanky

Southern corn leaf blight and stalk rot

Cochliobolus heterostrophus (Drechs.) Drechs.

(anamorph: Bipolaris maydis (Nisikado & Miyake)
    Shoemaker

= Helminthosporium maydis (Nisikado & Miyake)

Southern leaf spot

Stenocarpella macrospora (Earle) Sutton

= Diplodia macrospora Earle)

Stalk rots, minor

Cercospora sorghi Ellis & Everh.

Fusarium episphaeria (Tode) W.C. Snyder & H.N. Hans.

F. merismoides Corda

F. oxysporum Schlechtend.:Fr.

F. poae (Peck) Wollenweb.

F. roseum Link:Fr.

F. solani (Mart.) Sacc.

(teleomorph: Nectria haematococca Berk. & Broome)

F. tricinctum (Corda) Sacc.

Mariannaea elegans (Corda) R.A. Samson

Mucor sp.

Rhopographus zeae Pat.

Spicaria sp.

Storage rots

Aspergillus spp.

Penicillium spp. and other fungi

Tar spot*

Phyllachora maydis Maubl.

Trichoderma ear rot and root rot

Trichoderma viride Pers.:Fr.

= T. lignorum (Tode)

(teleomorph: Hypocrea sp.)

White ear rot, root and stalk rot

Stenocarpella maydis (Berk.) Sutton

= Diplodia zeae (Schwein.) Lév.

Yellow leaf blight

Ascochyta ischaemi Sacc.

Phyllosticta maydis D.C. Arny & R.R. Nelson

(teleomorph: Mycosphaerella zeae-maydis Mukunya &
    Boothroyd)

Zonate leaf spot

Gloeocercospora sorghi Bain & Edgerton ex Deighton

MITE DAMAGE

Kernel red streak

Feeding of wheat curl mite (Aceriatulipae) Keifer

NEMATODES, PARASITIC

Awl

Dolichodorus spp.

D. heterocephalus Cobb

Bulb and stem*

Ditylenchus dipsaci (Kühn) Filipjev

Burrowing

Radopholus similis (Cobb) Thorne

Cyst

Heterodera avenae Wollenweb.

H. zeae Koshy et al.

Punctodera chalcoensis Stone et al.

Dagger

Xiphinema spp.

X. americanum Cobb

X. mediterraneum Lima

False root-knot

Nacobbus dorsalis Thorne & Allen

Lance, Columbia

Hoplolaimus columbus Sher

Lance

Hoplolaimus spp.

H. galeatus (Cobb) Thorne

Lesion

Pratylenchus spp.

P. brachyurus (Godfrey) Filipjev & Schuurmans Stekhoven

P. crenatus Loof

P. hexincisus Taylor & Jenkins

P. neglectus (Rensch) Filipjev & Schuurmans Stekhoven

P. penetrans (Cobb) Filipjev & Schuurmans-Stekhoven

P. scribneri Steiner

P. thornei Sher & Allen

P. zeae Graham

Needle

Longidorus spp.

L. breviannulatus Norton & Hoffman

Ring

Criconemella spp.

C. ornata (Raski) Luc & Raski

Root-knot

Meloidogyne spp.

M. chitwoodi Golden et al.

M. incognita (Kofoid & White) Chitwood

M. javanica (Treub) Chitwood

Spiral

Helicotylenchus spp.

Sting

Belonolaimus spp.

B. longicaudatus Rau

Stubby-root

Paratrichodorus spp.

P. christiei (Allen) Siddiqi

P. minor (Colbran) Siddiqi

Quinisulcius acutus (Allen) Siddiqi

Trichodorus spp.

Stunt

Tylenchorhynchus dubius (Butschli) Filipjev

PARASITIC HIGHER PLANTS

Witchweed disease

Striga asiatica (L.) Kuntze

= S. lutea Lour.

S. hermonthica (Del.) Benth.

VIRUS AND VIRUSLIKE DISEASES

American wheat striate (wheat striate mosaic)

American wheat striate mosaic virus mosaic (AWSMV)

Barley stripe mosaic

Barley stripe mosaic virus (BSMV)

Barley yellow dwarf

Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV)

Brome mosaic

Brome mosaic virus (BMV)

Cereal chlorotic mottle*

Cereal chlorotic mottle virus (CCMV)

Corn lethal necrosis

Virus complex (Maize chlorotic mottle virus [MCMV] and Maize dwarf mosaic virus [MDMV] A or B or Wheat streak mosaic virus [WSMV])

Cucumber mosaic

Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV)

Johnsongrass mosaic

Johnsongrass mosaic virus (JGMV)

Maize bushy stunt

Mycoplasmalike organism (MLO), assoc.

Maize chlorotic dwarf

Maize chlorotic dwarf virus (MCDV)

Maize chlorotic mottle

Maize chlorotic mottle virus (MCMV)

Maize dwarf mosaic

Maize dwarf mosaic virus (MDMV) strains A, D, E and F

Maize leaf fleck

Maize leaf fleck virus (MLFV)

Maize line*

Maize line virus (MLV)

Maize mosaic (corn leaf stripe, enanismo rayado)

Maize mosaic virus (MMV)

Maize pellucid ringspot*

Maize pellucid ringspot virus (MPRV)

Maize rayado fino* (fine striping disease)

Maize rayado fino virus (MRFV)

Maize red leaf and red stripe*

Mollicute?

Maize red stripe*

Maize red stripe virus (MRSV)

Maize ring mottle*

Maize ring mottle virus (MRMV)

Maize rough dwarf* (nanismo ruvido)

Maize rough dwarf virus (MRDV)

(= Cereal tillering disease virus* and Maize rio cuarto disease*)

Maize sterile stunt*

Maize sterile stunt virus (strains of barley yellow striate virus)

Maize streak*

Maize streak virus (MSV)

Maize stripe (maize chlorotic stripe, maize hoja blanca)

Maize stripe virus

Maize tassel abortion*

Maize tassel abortion virus (MTAV)

Maize vein enation*

Maize vein enation virus (MVEV)

Maize wallaby ear*

Maize wallaby ear virus (MWEV)

Maize white leaf*

Maize white leaf virus

Maize white line mosaic

Maize white line mosaic virus (MWLMV)

Millet red leaf*

Millet red leaf virus (MRLV)

Northern cereal mosaic*

Northern cereal mosaic virus (NCMV)

Oat pseudorosette* (zakuklivanie)

Oat pseudorosette virus

Oat sterile dwarf*

Oat sterile dwarf virus (OSDV)

Rice black-streaked dwarf*

Rice black-streaked dwarf virus (RBSDV)

Rice stripe*

Rice stripe virus (RSV)

Sorghum mosaic

Sorghum mosaic virus (SrMV), formerly sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV) strains H, I and M

Sugarcane Fiji disease*

Sugarcane Fiji disease virus (FDV)

Sugarcane mosaic

Sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV) strains A, B, D, E, SC, BC, Sabi and MB (formerly MDMV-B)

VIRAL DISEASES, minor**

Corn chlorotic vein banding (Brazilian maize mosaic)

Corn chlorotic vein banding virus (CCVBV)

Cynodon chlorotic streak*

Cynodon chlorotic streak virus (CCSV)

Maize mottle and chlorotic stunt

Maize mottle and chlorotic stunt virus*

Maize raya gruesa*

Maize raya gruesa virus (MRGV)

Maize Rio IV*

Maize Rio IV virus

Maize stunting*

Maize stunting virus

Vein enation*

Virus ?

Wheat spot mosaic

Wheat spot mosaic virus (WSMV)

*Not known to occur naturally on corn (maize) in the United States.

** Viruses unverified or not yet accepted by common name usage.