Symptoms first appear as water-soaked lesions on the developing seedling tissues. They may become watery and soft or firm and dry depending on the disease-causing organism. The colour of the lesions can vary from dark brown or nearly black to tan. Affected seedlings may die or grow slower than healthy seedlings. In severe cases the seedling may wilt, collapse and die.
Lesions are watery and soft rot of stem and root tissue at or near the soil surface.
Root rot causing organisms infect the seedling root systems and affected plants may be stunted, off-colour or lack vigour. Lateral roots and root hairs are affected and infection can result in seedling death when the disease is severe. Diseased plants may be more susceptible to stalk rots. Planting corn seed with good germination and seed vigour will substantially reduce your risks to seed rots and seedling blights, especially in backwards springs. Good quality corn seed can stay in the ground up to a month but under very wet conditions this will decrease.