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Air Sampling to Detect Spores of Helminthosporium maydis Race T. Jack R. Wallin, Research Plant Pathologist, ARS, USDA, Ames, Iowa 50010; Daniel V. Loonan, Research Technician, ARS, USDA, Ames, Iowa 50010. Phytopathology 64:41-44. Accepted for publication 18 July 1973. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-64-41.

Airborne spores of Helminthosporium maydis race T among and above corn (Zea mays) plants at Ames, Iowa were sampled during 1969, 1970, 1971, and 1972 by the Kramer-Collins air suction and Rotorod samplers to determine whether spore counts could be related to southern corn leaf blight (SCLB) lesion development in surrounding corn plantings. The Rotorod collected more spores than did the Kramer-Collins sampler. However, the number of spores trapped was not great in any of the 4 yr. The highest daily number recorded over the 4-yr period, 1,019, from about 19,000 liters of air, was trapped on 19 September 1972. Presumably, no great quantities of spores are produced, and spores do not remain airborne in quantity in the field under the weather conditions that occurred during the sampling periods.