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Botryosphaeria zeae (grey ear rot of corn )
Botryosphaeria zeae
grey ear rot of corn
Macrophoma zeae, Physalospora zeae
Africa: South Africa; Europe: France; North America: USA; Oceania: Australia
IL, IN
2025-08-01
fungus
Korea
corn, wheat
PHYOZE
Botryosphaeria zeae causes gray ear rot of maize, typically under warm, humid conditions during and after flowering. The fungus overwinters on crop debris and infected residue, and spreads primarily through airborne spores and rain splash that infect ears via wounds or silk tissues.
2 Known Hosts
Triticum aestivum
wheat
No
No references found indicating seed is a pathway for this pathogen. Wheat is a minor host for this pathogen and only reported in South Africa.
2025-08-01 13:10:17
Zea mays
corn
uncertain
PHYOZE-1, PHYOZE-3, PHYOZE-4, McGEE, PHYOZE-5, PHYOZE-6
Corn is not a significant seed host of Botryosphaeria zeae. While the fungus can be detected on seed in lab tests, field transmission through seed is rare (<1%), with infections mainly spreading from infected crop residue and plant debris in the environment.
Yes
Blotter paper
This test has not been standardized or validated. Used in research only.
McGEE
cultural
No references describing seed treatments found. Crop rotation is described for field management.
2025-08-01 13:09:56
PHYOZE-1
Farr, D.F. and Rossman, A.Y. Fungal Databases, Systematic Mycology and Microbiology Laboratory, ARS, USDA. 2018, http://nt.ars-grin.gov/fungaldatabases/
PHYOZE-3
Richardson MJ, 1990. An Annotated List of Seed-borne Disease. International Seed Testing Association, Zurich, Switzerland
PHYOZE-4
UllStrup, A.J. 1953. Several Ear Rots of Corn. In; A Yearbook of Agriculture. USDA Publication, USA
McGEE
McGee, DC. 1988, Maize Diseases; A reference source for Seed Technoligists. American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, MN USA
PHYOZE-5
Bezuidenhout, Henrietta and Marasas, W. F. O. (1978). Botryosphaeria zeae: the cause of grey ear rot of maize (Zea mays) in South Africa. Phytophylactica, 10(1), 21-24.
PHYOZE-6
University of Illinois Extension. (1991). Corn ear and kernel rots.
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