First Place Student Essay: Biology and Management of Diplodia (Stenocarpella maydis) Ear and Stalk Rot
2003
Steckel, Sandy
Diplodia ear rot has a long history throughout the United States Corn Belt. This disease was considered to be the most important ear rot disease in the early 1900's (Burrill and Barrett, 1909). Reports indicate that 4.5 percent of the Illinois corn crop was destroyed by Diplodia in 1906 and 2 percent in 1907 (Burrill and Barrett, 1909). Diplodia ear rot maintained its prominence as reported in 1930 and 1959 (Koehler and Holbert, 1930; Koehler, 1959). However, this fungal pathogen almost disappeared in the 1960's and 1970's due, in large part, to the use of the moldboard plow (White and Malvick, 2001). But over time Diplodia has staged a comeback, aided by the widespread adoption of conservation tillage practices (White, 1999). In fact, over 37 percent of the total U.S. corn acres in the year 2000 were planted in some sort of conservation tillage practice and the trend was rising (Conservation Technology Information Center, 2002). In order to understand this disease better, this essay will review this pathogen's life cycle, the crop damage it causes, and management practices which can be implemented.
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