Open AccessIncidence of Stenocarpella maydis Ear Rot of Corn Under Crop Rotation Systems
Author(s) -
B. C. Flett,
N. W. McLaren,
F. C. Wehner
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
plant disease
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.663
H-Index - 108
eISSN - 1943-7692
pISSN - 0191-2917
DOI - 10.1094/pdis.2001.85.1.92
Subject(s) - biology , monoculture , crop rotation , agronomy , crop , tillage , sunflower , gibberella , fusarium , horticulture
The efficacy of crop rotation in reducing corn ear rot caused by Stenocarpella maydis in reduced and conventional tillage systems was determined over five and four seasons, respectively, at two sites in South Africa. Stenocarpella ear rot and S. maydis was isolated from kernels more frequently in monoculture corn and crop rotation where corn was planted for two consecutive seasons than where monoculture corn was interrupted by a rotation crop. Surface stubble mass, and consequently inoculum pressure, were affected similarly by crop rotation. Positive linear relationships were recorded between Stenocarpella ear rot incidence, surface stubble mass, and pycnidial counts. Wheat, soybean, and peanut were the most effective, and sunflower the least effective, rotation crops for reducing S. maydis ear rot.