Cephalosporium maydis – a threat to maize in Telangana districts, Andhra Pradesh

Scattered maize (Zea mays L.) plants with symptoms of premature wilting were observed in many fields of Telangana districts, Andhra Pradesh during the rabi of 2008 and 2009 (Figure 1). In 2011, the affected fields showed as much as 60% incidences and symptoms affecting 50% of the hybrid varieties. Wilting became visible before tasseling and continued until shortly before maturity. It steadily progressed from the lower to the upper leaves; the leaf tissues between the veins changed first to a pale green colour, then the whole leaf rolled inward lengthwise. Some leaves dried up and became brittle. As leaf wilting advanced, yellowish or reddish-brown streaks appeared on the basal interaodes of the stalk, which dried up and became shrunken. When the stalk was split, a brown discoloration extended along the internodes. The fungus that was consistently isolated from necrotic roots and basal tissues of the stalks of plants from many locations was identified as Cepha-losporium maydis.