Mold development in ears of corn from tasseling to harvest
1977
The time, kind and progressions of natural fungal infection of corn in the field was determined. During the 1974 growing season, a central Illinois [USA] corn field was sampled weekly (15 wk) from the emergence of silks until harvest. Weather data were recorded. At each sampling, 10 ears were hand picked and brought into the laboratory where silks and kernels from tip, middle and butt of each ear were aseptically removed and plated on yeast extract agar containing tetracycline. After incubation at 28.degree. C for 4-7 days the fungi growing from the silks and kernels were identified. Fusaria were identified the 3rd wk and had a peak occurrence in the 8th wk. Yeasts followed the same trend. Overall, fusaria were by far the most abundant molds infecting the corn kernels. Acremonium strictum was identified the 6th week, whereas Nigrospora sp. was not observed until the 8th wk. Both progressively increased to harvest. Species of Alternaria and Penicillium were sporadic and found at low levels. No Aspergillus species were encountered. Generally, maturing corn was relatively free of fungal contamination until the late dent stage.
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