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Mycologia, ASCOMYCOTINA, DOTHIDEALES, DOTHIDEACEAE .

Crops attacked: maize .

Leaf blight of maize

Identification, Description, Biology, Epidemiology, Treatement, Possible misleading, Images

[R]Description
The disease occurs after the flowering stage and only affects the leaves.
Elongated lesions parallel to the veins occur which later become powdery black.
As the attack ends, the lesions coalesce to form blight and the leaves totally dry out.
Under severe attacks important shrivelling of the ears occurs.

[R]Biology
The fungus survives as chlamydospores in the debris.
Chlamydospores may become relatively ineffective if debris is ploughed deep in the soil in autumn.

[R]Epidemiology
High humidity and temperature favour the development of the disease.
Continuous maize crops without rotation and superficial ploughing of debris causes the disease to persist in a field.

[R]Treatement
Bury the debris early.
Use resistant cultivars.

[R]Possible misleading
.

[R] Images

1. Helminthosporium maydis , Maize leaf blight (CASSINI R., INRA)
   Maize leaf blight Early drying of maize leaves caused by Helminthosporium maydis .
   
2. Helminthosporium maydis , Maize leaf blight (CASSINI R., INRA)
   Maize leaf blight Spots on an cob of maize attacked by Helminthosporium maydis .
   
3. Helminthosporium turcicum , Leaf blight (CASSINI R., INRA)
   Leaf blight on maize Beginning of an attack of Helminthosporium turcicum on maize leaves (some spots are visible).
   
4. Helminthosporium turcicum , Leaf blight (CASSINI R., INRA)
   Leaf blight on maize Maize leaves having long spots parallel to the veins from Helminthosporium turcicum .
   
5. Helminthosporium turcicum , Leaf blight (CASSINI R., INRA)
   Leaf blight on maize Long dry stains from Helminthosporium turcicum parallel to the veins on maize leaves.
   
6. Helminthosporium turcicum , Leaf blight (CASSINI R., INRA)
   Leaf blight on maize Dry stains from Helminthosporium turcicum parallel to the veins on maize leaves.
   
7. Helminthosporium turcicum , Leaf blight (CASSINI R., INRA)
   Leaf blight on maize Maize leaf dried by an attack of Helminthosporium turcicum .
   

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