The lower stem becomes soft and eventually collapses. The pith inside the stems becomes tan to pink and disintegrates, leaving the vascular strands intact. The fungus is ubiquitous in a corn field and colonizes the surfaces of all corn tissue but does no damage until the plants are near maturity. Stress and injury to plants seem to favor infection. This is the most common stalk rot in California.
Some hybrids are more resistant than others.
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