Evaluation of Four Inoculation Techniques for Infecting Corn Ears with Stenocarpella maydis. J. C. Klapproth, Former Research Associate, Delaware Agriculture Experiment Station, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, College of Agricultural Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark 19717-1303. J. A. Hawk, Associate Professor, Delaware Agriculture Experiment Station, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, College of Agricultural Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark 19717-1303. Plant Dis. 75:1057-1060. Accepted for publication 18 April 1991. Copyright 1991 The American Phytopathological Society . DOI: 10.1094/PD-75-1057.

Four techniques for inoculating corn (Zea mays) ears with Stenocarpella maydis were evaluated on six inbreds and four hybrids. Depositing a spore suspension into the sheath cavity or placing infected popcorn into the whorl resulted in low levels of infection. Spraying a conidial suspension on the silks resulted in an intermediate level of infection, and injecting a conidial suspension directly into the ear resulted in very high levels of infection. The silk spray method was selected as the best technique because of the level of infection, the ability to distinguish between resistant and susceptible inbred lines, and ease of application.