Corn Leaf Blight

The greener leaf of the variety on the left shows
that it is more resistant to corn leaf blight than
the severely damaged leaf on the right.

Corn Leaf Blights, Northern And Southern:
Northern corn leaf blight causes large (1/2-inch up to 6-inch) grayish-green to tan spots on corn leaves. Southern corn leaf blight causes small (1/2-inch by 1/4-inch) tan spots with reddish-brown borders on the leaves. Corn leaf blights occur in the eastern part of North America. The infection does not usually kill the plant, but weakens it, making it more susceptible to other diseases. Young plants are most susceptible. These blights are favored by warm, wet weather. The fungus overwinters on infected plant debris in the soil.

Prevention And Controls:
Plant resistant varieties, and purchase only certified disease-free seed. Rotate crops and clean up garden debris at the end of the season.

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Disease information provided by NationalGardening.com, the online publisher of the National Gardening Association.

Photo by Keith Weller/USDA Agricultural Research Service.