The Maize Head Smut Disease is a devastating fungal disease of maize caused by Sphacelotheca reiliana and is believed to have originated in Mexico. This disease can cause significant losses in maize yield as the galls replace kernels that would normally develop on the ears of the corn.
The disease can also cause the stunting of plants and often occurs along with other fungal diseases such as rust, leaf blight, and stalk rot. To effectively manage this disease, it is important to understand its disease cycle, the mode of disease spread, and the best methods for controlling it. This article will provide an overview and discussion of the Maize Head Smut Disease in Maize crops, including its symptoms, identification techniques, and control.
Maize Head Smut Disease Management
The Causal Organism of Maize Head Smut Disease
- Sphacelotheca reiliana is a soil-borne obligate parasite that belongs to the Family Microbotryaceae of Order Microbotryales of the Phylum Basidiomycota.
- The characteristic features of this pathogen include the production of a dark brown to black spore mass known as a teliospore.
- The smut galls are round swollen tissue masses containing these spores on the plant’s surface. The smut galls are also known as sori.
The Disease Cycle of Maize Head Smut Disease
The disease cycle of the Sphacelotheca reiliana pathogen begins with releasing the primary source of inoculum, chlamydospores, from the black or dark brown galls on the maize heads. These spores are transmitted by wind and rain and can persist in the environment for at least two or three years. If the conditions are right, the spores will land on a maize plant and begin to germinate.
Once the spores have germinated, the fungal hyphae will enter the maize plant through its stomata or small openings in its leaves. Once inside the plant, the fungus will spread throughout the plant’s tissues and begin to produce more spores. These spores will be released from the plant, spreading the disease to nearby plants. The infection can spread rapidly and cause significant damage to the maize crop.
As the disease progresses, the affected heads will turn black or dark brown and form galls. These galls will contain large quantities of spores, which can spread to other plants, infect them, and start the cycle again.
Occurrence of Maize Head Smut Disease in Maize Crop
- Location of Maize Head Smut disease: This disease occurs in maize crops in the USA, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Africa, India, China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Hungary, Italy, and Spain.
- Host range: The most common crops affected by Maize Head Smut Disease are maize, barley, oats, wheat, sorghum, millet, rye, and triticale.
Favorable Conditions for Maize Head Smut Disease Spread in the Field
- Low soil fertility and poor soil drainage also favor infection, as these conditions can lead to an accumulation of moisture in the soil.
- Overcrowding of plants, high humidity levels, and heavy rainfalls can increase the chance of disease transmission from plant to plant.
- Moist soil, warm temperatures, and humid environmental conditions favor the growth of the fungus and the spread of the disease, with infection occurring most frequently during the summer months when temperatures are highest.
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