DISEASES OF CORN - EYESPOT

Eyespot is a relatively common corn disease that is caused by the fungus Aureobasidium zeae. Symptoms of this disease are very distinctive: small circular lesions/spots surrounded by a red and/or yellow halo. When the disease is severe (as it can be in cool, humid weather), large numbers of these spots will grow together leading to death of large areas of leaf tissue.

As is the case with many foliar corn pathogens, the fungus that causes eyespot survives in corn debris. Thus use of no-till production practices tends to favor the development of the disease by maintaining a ready source of inoculum. Clean plowing, crop rotation and use of resistant varieties can help in the management of this disease.