Ear Rot Silk Channel Inoculation Contents Summary of Instructions for Silk Channel Inoculations Timing of Inoculation Effect of time of inolulation after silk emergence on gibberella ear rot disease severity for two maize hybrids inolulated with the silk channel technique. The silks of maize senesce rapidly after pollination and this physiological change seems to alter the suitability of silk for growth of ear-rotting organisms.
Timing is critically important when genotypes with different maturity are to be evaluated.
Timing of inoculation among plants of a given genotype is also important. More consistent results will be obtained if all ears of a given genotype are inoculated at the same time, so that the environmental conditions at time of inoculation are consistent. Rows 3.8 m long with 14 plants are convenient and all plants in the row are inoculated when 10 of the centre 12 plants are ready for inoculation. If the rows are from a segregating population, this is not possible and the row should be visited several times until all desired plants are inoculated.