Diseases

Bacterial diseases of sweet corn

Zea mays L. subsp. mays (Sweet Corn Group)

The most significant bacterial diseases of sweet corn are Stewart's wilt, caused by Pantoea stewartii, and ear rot, caused by Bacillus mesentericus var. vulgatus.

In the reference 41 varieties crop Sweet corn, where this is mentioned in the description.

Stewart's wilt, caused by Pantoea stewartii subsp. stewartii, represents one of the major threats to sweet corn. On young plants, the disease manifests as rapid wilting, and on mature plants, as characteristic yellow streaks along leaf veins and tissue necrosis, often accompanied by the formation of brown cavities inside the stem. The infection is transmitted by the corn flea beetle, and genetic resistance to it is quantitative in nature and associated with loci on chromosomes 2, 5, and 6.

Bacterial ear rot, caused by Bacillus mesentericus var. vulgatus, affects reproductive organs during the milk stage. Symptoms are expressed as the appearance of depressed pale-gray spots on the tips of the kernels, which over time darken, shrivel, and acquire an ulcerative appearance. The spread of this pathogen is often linked to the feeding of insect pests, in particular, the cereal bug.

General information about the subject — on the page Bacterial diseases.

Sources8

Varieties of Sweet corn mentioned in the description

Selection based on the description text, not on official evaluation: these data are absent from registers. For specific variety details, please refer to its profile.