Stewart's wilt and seedling blight of sweet corn, is caused by the bacterium Erwinia stewartii . The disease commonly occurs from southern New England to the Middle Atlantic states and west to Kansas and the Dakotas. Scattered outbreaks occur outside this general area.
Bacterial wilt is more prevalent in southern regions of the Corn Belt.
It is much more severe on susceptible sweet corn and popcorn hybrids than on most field corn hybrids. The bacterial wilt organism infects sweet corn plants at any stage of growth. Infected seedlings may die prematurely. The disease is usually most conspicuous and serious in young plants under two feet tall. In seedlings, the bacterium often spreads systemically throughout plants of susceptible hybrids.