Seldom involves whole ear, rot usually occurs at tip of ear or in scattered areas on ear, color of fungal mycelium around infected kernels varies from white to faint pink to reddish brown. Infected kernels vary in color from light to dark brown. Dry, warm weather.
Infection occurs through injury by insects or environmental stress.
Aspergillus niger appears as a black mold on infected kernels. A. flavus is a greenish-yellow mold growing on damaged kernels. A. glaucus is a greenish mold. A. flavus is more common in Indiana following hot, dry weather, injury by drought stress and insect damage. A. flavus can produce a carcinogenic secondary metabolite known as aflatoxin.