Diseases of Sweet Corn

Smut

Smut, one of the worst corn diseases, causes galls to form on all above-ground parts of infested plants. Spores survive in the soil for years so rotation is of limited value. There is no chemical control, but healthy plants are less susceptible than stressed ones.Resistant cultivars are listed in the Sweet Corn chapter. Smut galls are eaten in many Latin American countries where an ear with smut is often worth many times more than an uninfected ear. To a limited extent, smut-infected ears are also marketed in the United States. Growers should be aware, however, that culture of smut galls is a specialized industry. Galls appearing spontaneously in fields are likely to be too mature to be marketable.

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