Cephalosporium maydis - a threat to maize in Telangana districts, Andhra Pradesh.

摘要

Scattered maize with symptoms of premature wilting were observed in many fields in Telangana district, Andhra Pradesh, India, during the 2008 and 2009 rabi seasons. In 2011, the affected fields showed as much as 60% incidences and symptoms affecting 50% of the hybrid varieties. Wilting became visible before tasseling and continued until shortly before maturity. The fungus that was consistently isolated from necrotic roots and basal tissues of the stalks of plants from many locations was identified as Harpophora maydis. At the initial stages of crop growth, the plants were affected only due to H. maydis. Later, the susceptible plants hosted many other complex fungal organisms, such as Sclerotium and Rhizoctonia spp., among others. The fungus was isolated from both maize and soil. The impact of the widespread use of no-till maize systems and the extensive use of glyphosate in increasing disease severity were discussed and the usefulness of moisture management and flood-fallowing as cultural controls for late wilt were pointed out.