Maize Thirteenth to fourteenth week practices

Head Smut of Maize:

Symptoms:

• Infection of the tassel may be limited to individual spikelets, or may cover it completely. Leaf-like formations emerge, forming unusual structures on infected tassels. No pollen is produced. Most commonly, affected ears are round or tear-drop shaped, lacking silks, and filled with black spores.

Management:

• Cultural Control- Rogue out –removal of smutted heads. Burn crop refuge in the field after harvesting is over. Grow varieties resistant to the disease like WH-542, HD-2329 etc.
• Chemical Control- Seed treatment with Vitavax 75% WP or Benlate 50 % WP @ 2.0 g/Kg seed or Propioconazole 25% EC @ 2ml/kg seed are used for seed treatment to reduce the pathogen infectivity. Prepare mixture by Mancozeb 75% WP @800g + Karathane 25% WP @ 800g dissolve in 250-300 liters water per acre. About three sprays should be given at an interval of 10-15 days.