Field Inoculation and Classification of Maize Ear Rot Caused by Fusarium verticillioides

Abstract

Maize ear rot is a worldwide fungal disease mainly caused by <i>Fusarium verticillioides</i> and <i>Fusarium graminearum</i>. Maize planted in the field was inoculated with <i>Fusarium verticillioides</i> at the filling stage, 15 days after pollination. Two milliliters of spore suspension with a concentration of 5 x 10⁶/ml was injected into the middle of the top ear using pricking ear method to cause maize ear rot. The thirty days after inoculation was the most suitable time for phenotypic evaluation of <i>Fusarium</i> resistance.