DISEASES OF CORN – COMMON SMUT

Common smut is the classic disease of corn that everyone seems to remember. There really are not any other corn diseases that you would confuse with this disease. The swollen, gray tumors on ears, and sometimes tassels and even leaves, which eventually turn to a brown powder, are very distinctive. Corn smut is not currently a serious problem in corn production. This disease has been very successfully controlled by the incorporation of resistance into corn varieties.