New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science abstracts

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Short communication
Fungicide control of head smut (Sporisorium reilianum) of sweetcorn (Zea mays)

P. J. Wright

New Zealand Institute for Crop and Food
Research Limited
Cronin Road, RD 1
Pukekohe, New Zealand
email: wrightp@crop.cri.nz

R. A. Fullerton

The Horticulture and Food Research
Institute of New Zealand Ltd
Private Bag 92169
Auckland, New Zealand

J. P. Koolaard

AgResearch Limited
Private Bag 11008
Palmerston North, New Zealand

AbstractA field trial was carried out to compare the efficacy of the fungicides carboxin + thiram (Vitaflo®), carbendazim (Prolific®), tebuconazole (Raxil®), propiconazole (Tilt®), flutriafol + imazalil sulphate (Vincit‘), and azoxystrobin (Amistar®) as seed applications for the control of head smut of sweetcorn (Zea mays), caused by the fungus Sporisporium reilianum (Sphacelotheca reiliana). The trial was carried out in the Poverty Bay region of New Zealand in a field that had a previous history of head smut. Carbendazim, flutriafol + imazalil sulphate, propiconazole, and azoxystrobin seed treatments resulted in significantly greater plant numbers and increased early plant growth compared with the untreated experimental control, carboxin + thiram, and tebuconazole treatments. Plots in the control and carboxin + thiram treatments had a relatively high number of stunted plants (<10 cm) 1 month after sowing (7.6% and 14.9% respectively). Carbendazim, tebuconazole, propiconazole, flutriafol + imazalil sulphate, and azoxystrobin seed treatments all produced low numbers of stunted plants (0.4–3.1%). Of the plants in the untreated control plots, an average of 8.7% were infected with head smut at harvest maturity. Seed treatment with carboxin + thiram did not reduce numbers of smutted plants compared with the untreated control. All other fungicides reduced the proportion of diseased plants. The most effective were propiconazole and flutriafol + imazalil sulphate, which respectively gave 2.3% and 2.4% plants infected with head smut. Carbendazim, tebuconazole, and azoxystrobin were slightly less effective reducing infection to 5–6%. Flutriafol + imazalil sulphate and propiconazole both offer alternatives to carboxin + thiram for control of head smut of sweetcorn.

Keywordssweetcorn; Zea mays; head smut; Sporisporium reilianum; chemical control; fungicide

New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science, 2006, Vol. 34: 23–26
0014–0671/06/3401–0023      © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2006
H05092; Online publication date 19 January 2006
Received 11 August 2005; accepted 7 November 2005

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