Downy Mildew of Corn (Crazy Top)
Sclerophthora macrospora
Maizeoomycete
A wet-soil oomycete disease that distorts the tassel into a leafy mass known as "crazy top".
Symptoms
Leaf proliferation and distortion of the tassel into a leafy mass ("crazy top"), with general stunting.
Favorable conditions
- •Waterlogged or flooded soil, especially early in the season
- •Poorly drained fields
Management
- 1Improve field drainage
- 2Rotate crops
Back to the disease library