maize INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT INNOVATION LAB Maize Package mashed.com aize, or corn, is a cereal grain first domesticated in southern WHAT IS IPM? Mexico about 10,000 years ago. Maize is a staple food in many parts of the world, with the total global production Integrated pest management M (IPM), an environmentally-sound surpassing that of wheat or rice. It is consumed directly and is also used for corn ethanol, animal feed, and other maize products, such and economical approach to pest as corn starch and corn syrup. There are seven maize groups based control, was developed in response on the structure of the grain: flint maize, dent maize, sweet (and super to pesticide misuse in the 1960s. sweet) maize, floury maize, popcorn, waxy maize, and pod corn. Pesticide misuse has led to pesticide The U.S. is the world’s largest maize producer. In Asia, the maize resistance among prevailing pests, a crop is rotated with other cereal crops such as rice, barley, millet, as resurgence of non-target pests, loss of biodiversity, and environmental well as crops like pulses and oilseeds. In African countries, maize is and human health hazards. Lab (IPM IL) Management Innovation Pest Integrated successfully rotated with sorghum, millet, cassava, cowpea, soybean, potatoes, and other vegetables. Maize is a cold-intolerant crop with a shallow root system. The crop depends on soil moisture and is a WHAT ARE more water-efficient crop than others, like soybeans. Maize is most IPM PACKAGES? sensitive to drought at the time of silk emergence when the flowers are ready for pollination. The constraints to maize production are biotic The IPM Innovation Lab has and abiotic. The most important abiotic constraints are low soil fertility, developed and tested robust IPM drought, and soil erosion. Among biotic constraints, insect pests, packages, holistic suites of IPM IPM PACKAGES FOR HEALTH CROP IPM PACKAGES diseases and weeds are foremost. These pests are grouped into three recommendations and practices categories – field pests, field-to-store pests, and store pests. Different for the production of vegetables parts of the maize crop (seed, root, foliage, tassel, stem, ear, and and other crops. Farmers who use grain) are susceptible to different insect pests. The list of major insect IPM packages in planting, pro- pests includes lepidoptera pests (cutworms, armyworms, earworms, duction, and throughout the supply borers, grain moths), coleoptera pests (wireworms, grubs, grain chain see enhanced profitability borers, weevils), and sap-sucking insect pests that serve as vectors in their crops. The recommended of diseases (leafhoppers and aphids). Major diseases include leaf/ practices in IPM packages cover sheath blight, downy mildew, ear/stalk rot, rust, anthracnose, maize economically significant pest spe- cies over a wide range of cropping lethal necrosis virus, and maize streak virus. Maize also faces a major systems across the tropical world, problem of weeds including several species of grasses, broadleaf resulting in benefits to human plants, and sedges (such as Cyperus sp., Striga sp.). health and the environment. This brochure was created and distributed by the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Integrated Pest Management (IPM IL). It was made possible through the United States Agency for International Development and the generous support of the American people through USAID Cooperative Agreement No. AID-OAA-L-15-00001 diseases Langfritz seed cropprotectionnetwork.org Photos (From left): • Southern leaf blight of maize • Ear rot DISEASES Phaeosphaeria maydis disease. Susceptible varieties ear leaf, which expand over (Physodermataceae)] should not be planted in previ- the ear, and at later stages Smut (Sphacelotheca reiliana) ously infected areas. white fungal growth spreads (Microbotryaceae) Cercospora zeae-maydis only over and between the kernels. infects corn. This disease Ear rots [Fusarium verticilli- Resistant varieties are also available. Crop rotation is very Smut is distributed in Asia, causes considerable yield oides (=Fusarium moniliforme) useful to manage ear rots Africa, the Americas, and loss in most maize-growing (Nectriaceae), Diplodia maydis because the fungus survives Europe and invades plants areas of Africa. The disease (=Stenocarpella maydis) poorly overtime on infested during emergence or at is usually associated with (Diaporthaceae)] debris. the seedling stage through an increase in the maize soilborne teliospores. It grows production area, continuous Fusarium verticillioides is systemically with the meristem planting of maize on the same a seed-borne endophyte in Turcicum blight (Setosphaeria and does not get transmitted plot of land year after year, maize. It is very common turcica, Exserohilum turcicum) from one plant to the other. and the use of minimum tillage and also difficult to eliminate. (Pleosporaceae) Infection is visible at a late practices. The initial symptoms Warm dry weather early in the stage of plant development on of grey leaf spots are small, growing season, followed by Symptoms of Turcicum blight tassels and ears (large smut dark, moist spots that are wet weather during the devel- include large, oval, grey, galls) of the maize plant. The encircled by a thin, yellow opment of the cob increases or light brown leaf spots, infected corn ear looks very radiance. Spots are initially the infection. Fusarium verti- sometimes with dark margins, small and tear-drop shaped, brownish and yellow and later cillioides is associated with and cover large parts of the and the cob looks empty. A on turn into grey color due to high levels of disease-causing leaves. Symptoms occur relatively low percentage of the production of grey fungal mycotoxins—fumonisins— first on the lower leaves. The infection in the fields (10%) spores. Phaeosphaeria maydis on infected kernels. These disease causes the leaves to can cause significant yield also causes small, pale green mycotoxins are harmful to dry out, wither and die. Heavy reduction (about 80%). Once lesions scattered over the humans and cattle. Diplodia dews, frequent light showers, the infection occurs, there are leaf surface. With maturation, maydis causes ear rot, stalk high humidity, and moderate no effective treatments for lesions dry and develop dark rot, and seedling blight of temperatures are favorable reducing or eliminating the brown margins. Lesions corn. Corn is the only host for the disease. This disease damage on affected plants. also coalesce and become for this pathogen. Ear rots causes loss of grain and Head smut spores can survive irregular in shape and blight overwinter on the diseased animal fodder. Resistant hybrid in the soil for several years. the entire leaf. Maize plants stalk and ear tissues that have varieties and crop rotation with Balanced soil fertility should be on the edges of the fields are not been buried. In the spring, a non-host crop (legumes) can maintained, with an emphasis more prone to this disease. the fungus reproduces on the reduce the disease severity. on sufficient nitrogen. Tolerant This disease is pronounced plant debris and produces hybrids are available and in cold conditions. Spores spores that are moved by rain Southern leaf blight of maize hybrids with fast emergence overwinter on crop debris and and wind to the new crop. [Helminthosporium maydis are less prone to head smut in favorable climatic conditions The fungal spores land on the (=Cochliobolus hetros- infection. (high rainfall and moderate plant and commonly infect at trophus, Bipolaris maydis) temperatures); spores get the base of the ear if sufficient (Pleosporaceae)] disseminated through rain Leaf spot [Cercospora water is available. Symptoms splash and wind. Crop rotation, of ear rot begin as tan spots zeae-maydis This disease is found around residual management, and (Mycosphaerellaceae), on the base of the husk and the globe and during the planting dates can manage this diseases and viruses Pestnet.org Photos (From left): • Downy mildew • Maize dwarf mosaic virus AgroAtlas DISEASES (continued) Banded leaf and sheath delay in flowering as well as a soil and seed transmission blight (Rhizoctonia solani) poor grain set and fill. play significant roles in devel- summer season it is (Ceratobasidiaceae) opment and spread of this considered the most Maize streak virus (MSV) disease. Best measures to important disease of maize. This disease is particularly (Geminiviridae) manage this disease still need Helminthosporium maydis destructive with the rice-maize further studies. infects leaves, sheaths, ear MSV occurs throughout Africa rotation. Usually, this disease husks, ears, cobs, shanks, and infects the pre-flowering stage and causes severe damage. stalks. Infected seedlings wilt (plants 40-50 days old). White It is transmitted by several and die within a few weeks of mycelium and irregularly leafhopper species. This the planting dates. Symptoms rounded sclerotia develop on also infects several species vary depending on the race of sheaths, husks, silks, cobs, of Poaceae. MSV causes leaf blight. Lesion color can be and kernels. Leaves and leaf continuous parallel chlorotic tan with brown, red borders or sheaths of infected plants streaks on leaves, with severe yellow-green or chlorotic halos. appear blighted with prominent stunting of the affected plant, The shape of lesions can be banding. Stripping the lower hence, failure to produce diamond, elliptical or spindle- two or three leaves and leaf complete cobs or seed. During shaped. Resistant/tolerant sheaths considerably