Stalk Breakage and Rot Caused by Physoderma in Iowa

September 20, 2013
ICM News

By Alison Robertson, Daren Mueller, Erika Salaau-Rojas and Gary Munkvold, Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology


An unusual disease has been reported in several fields in southwest and western Iowa over the past couple of weeks. Several samples were received in the Plant Disease and Insect Clinic and pathologists from ISU Extension and Outreach visited a field in Adair County.


Symptoms and signs of the disease


First symptoms noticed are plants that break at the first or second node (Figure 1). The nodes at which breakage occurs are black (Figure 2) and some stalk rot of the pith may be present (Figure 3).  Microscopic examination of the symptomatic tissue reveals thousands of light brown sporangia (Figure 4 and 5). This has been confirmed as Physoderma maydis. This fungus also causes the more familiar Physoderma brown spot (Figure 6); however, the foliar symptoms have not been widely prevalent in fields with the stalk rot.


There are a couple of reports of stalk breakage and rot caused by Physoderma.  In Illinois, severe outbreaks with up to 80 percent lodging in some fields were reported in the early 1970s (Burns and Shurtleff, 1973). There are also reports from North Carolina in 1919 (Tisdale, 1919) and Mississippi in 1957 (Broyles, 1959).


Physoderma is not usually an economic problem in Iowa or the United States. In recent years, we have seen an increase in the occurrence of Physoderma brown spot on leaves. This may be related to hybrid genetics or the wet springs we have had.


Sporangia can overwinter in soil and infected tissues. Under wet weather conditions, this pathogen produces swimming zoospores and, consequently, free water is necessary for infection to occur. The risk of infection increases at moderate temperatures (73-86° F) and when rainwater sits in the whorl for a period of time. Moreover, young plants are more susceptible to disease but become more resistant with age. 


In order to reduce the risk of infection, choose resistant hybrids and avoid planting susceptible hybrids in poorly-drained areas. Crop rotation and tillage practices may reduce sources of inoculum from soil and infected plant debris.



Figure 1.  Stalk breakage caused by Physoderma maydis in the field



Figure 2.  Dark lesions girdling the lower nodes of affected plants



Figure 3.  Stalk rot associated with infection by Physodermis maydis



Figure 4.  Light brown sporangia of Physodermis maydis in infected stalk tissue



Figure 5.  Microscopic view of sporangia of Physodermis maydis



Figure 6.  Typical leaf symptoms of Physoderma brown spot


 


References


Burns and Shurtleff. 1973. Plant Dis. Rep. 27:630-633

Tisdale. 1919. Phytopathology 9:51-51

Broyles. 1959. Plant Dis. Rep. 43:18-21



 


Alison Robertson is an assistant professor of plant pathology with research and extension responsibilities in field crop diseases. Robertson may be reached at (515) 294-6708 or by email at alisonr@iastate.edu. Daren Mueller is an assistant professor. He can be reached at 515-460-8000 or e-mail dsmuelle@iastate.edu. Erika Salaau-Rojas is a diagnostician in the Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic. You can reach her at 515-294-0581 or e-mail pidc@iastate.edu. Gary Munkvold is an associate professor of plant pathology and seed science endowed chair in the Iowa State University Seed Science Center with research and teaching responsibilities in seed pathology. He can be reached at (515) 294-7560 or by email at munkvold@iastate.edu.

Links to this article are strongly encouraged, and this article may be republished without further permission if published as written and if credit is given to the author, Integrated Crop Management News, and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. If this article is to be used in any other manner, permission from the author is required. This article was originally published on September 20, 2013. The information contained within may not be the most current and accurate depending on when it is accessed.

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Alison Robertson Professor of Plant Pathology and Microbiology

Dr. Alison Robertson is a professor of plant pathology and microbiology. She provides extension education on the diagnosis and management of corn and soybean diseases. Her research interests include Pythium seedling disease of corn and soybean and Goss's wilt. Dr. Robertson received her bach...

Daren Mueller Professor

Daren Mueller is an associate professor and extension plant pathologist at Iowa State University. He is also the coordinator of the Iowa State Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program. Daren received his bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1996, and his master's degree a...