*4.5.2.3 Diseases*

**Seed rot and seedling blight**: Poor germination, unthrifty seedlings and seedling mortality are the symptoms. Use disease free seed [7, 8].

**Figure 10.** *Attack of army worm in maize crop.*

**95**

**Figure 13.**

*Maydis leaf blight attack in maize crop.*

*Improved Technologies for Higher Maize Production DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.88997*

*Recently reported pest infestations in maize.*

*Maize crop infested with banded leaf and sheath blight.*

**Table 9.**

**Figure 12.**

**Pest name Plant part infested Region** *Helicoverpa armigera* Cob Southern India *Chiloloba acuta* Pollen Northern India

**Banded leaf and sheath blight:** Water soaked, straw colored necrotic lesions alternating with dark brown bands develop on basal leaf sheaths (**Figure 12**). Lesions enlarge and coalesce with each other. Later, sclerotia develop on diseased sheaths, husk and cobs. In severe cases, developing ears are completely damaged and dry up prematurely with cracking of husk. To manage this disease, spray 250 ml Amistar Top 325 SC (azoxystrobin + difenoconazole) in 200 L of water/ha at disease

**Maydis leaf blight**: Symptoms of the disease involve spindle shaped, brownish lesions on the leaves which can further merge to emerge as irregular patches (**Figure 13**). Late sowing, high humidity (>80%) and temperature of 25 + 2°C

appearance. If needed, repeat the spray at 15 days interval [1–3].

**Figure 11.** *Attack of pollen eating beetle on maize tassels.*

*Improved Technologies for Higher Maize Production DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.88997*


#### **Table 9.**

*Maize - Production and Use*

*4.5.2.3 Diseases*

*4.5.2.2 Recently reported pest infestations*

In recent years, non-associated pests (**Figures 10** and **11**) have been reported in

**Seed rot and seedling blight**: Poor germination, unthrifty seedlings and seed-

different parts of India with the details as below (**Table 9**) [3]:

ling mortality are the symptoms. Use disease free seed [7, 8].

**94**

**Figure 11.**

**Figure 10.**

*Attack of army worm in maize crop.*

*Attack of pollen eating beetle on maize tassels.*

*Recently reported pest infestations in maize.*

**Figure 12.** *Maize crop infested with banded leaf and sheath blight.*

**Figure 13.** *Maydis leaf blight attack in maize crop.*

**Banded leaf and sheath blight:** Water soaked, straw colored necrotic lesions alternating with dark brown bands develop on basal leaf sheaths (**Figure 12**). Lesions enlarge and coalesce with each other. Later, sclerotia develop on diseased sheaths, husk and cobs. In severe cases, developing ears are completely damaged and dry up prematurely with cracking of husk. To manage this disease, spray 250 ml Amistar Top 325 SC (azoxystrobin + difenoconazole) in 200 L of water/ha at disease appearance. If needed, repeat the spray at 15 days interval [1–3].

**Maydis leaf blight**: Symptoms of the disease involve spindle shaped, brownish lesions on the leaves which can further merge to emerge as irregular patches (**Figure 13**). Late sowing, high humidity (>80%) and temperature of 25 + 2°C

**Figure 14.** *Maize crop attacked by brown stripe downy mildew.*

favors the development of disease. Destroy the infected crop residue in the field. Grow improved varieties. Follow spray schedule as against Brown stripe downy mildew [7, 8].

**Bacterial stalk rot**: Characterized by water soaked appearance and rotting of stem at basal portion causing loss of green color and gives scortching appearance. Rotting of stem results in emitting of foul odor and breakage at 2nd/3rd basal internodes. Excessive rains and poor drainage favors the disease. The infected plants wilt. Destroy the diseased plant debris, keep the fields well drained and use improved varieties for its control [7, 8].

**Brown stripe downy mildew**: Presence of long, brown colored, interveinal stripes on leaves (**Figure 14**), which if critically watched, have white cottony fungal growth on the lower side of leaves. Whitish downy fungal growth may be observed on close examination on underside of the stripes. Control measures can be as follow:

