Bacterial Top and Stalk Rot of Maize in Brazil. Francisco J. B. Reifschneider, Research Plant Pathologist, Centro Nacional de Pesquisa de Hortaliças, Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (CNP-Hortaliças, EMBRAPA), C.P. 11.1316, 70.333 Brasília, D.F., Brazil. Carlos A. Lopes, Research Plant Pathologists, Centro Nacional de Pesquisa de Hortaliças, Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (CNP-Hortaliças, EMBRAPA), C.P. 11.1316, 70.333 Brasília, D.F., Brazil. Plant Dis. 66:519-520. Accepted for publication 24 November 1981. Copyright 1982 American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/PD-66-519.

A population of sweet corn (Zea mays) grown during the 1979–1980 rainy seasons in Brasília was heavily attacked by a bacterium causing top and stalk rot. About 37% of the plants showed symptoms, and 24% died within 45 days of planting. The bacterium was identified as Erwinia chrysanthemi pv. zeae. This is believed to be the first report of this pathogen on corn in Brazil.

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