A method of identifying a maize plant with northern leaf blight resistance comprising: a. analyzing DNA of a maize plant for the presence of a QTL allele associated with northern leaf blight resistance, wherein said QTL allele is located within an interval on chromosome 5 comprising and flanked by PHM18056 with a reference sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 6 and PHM7958 with a reference sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 8 and said QTL allele comprises: i. a "G" at PZE-105068275 corresponding to position 51 of reference sequence SEQ ID NO: 9; ii. an "A" at PZE-105068432 corresponding to position 51 of reference sequence SEQ ID NO: 10; iii. a "C" at PZE-105068572 corresponding to position 51 of reference sequence SEQ ID NO: 11; iv. a "T" at SYN30642 corresponding to position 61 of reference sequence SEQ ID NO: 12; v. a "C" at PZE-105068746 corresponding to position 51 of reference sequence SEQ ID NO: 13; vi. an "A" at PZE-105069095 corresponding to position 51 of reference sequence SEQ ID NO: 14; vii. an "A" at PZE-105069706 corresponding to position 51 of reference sequence SEQ ID NO: 15; viii. a "T" at PZE-105069906 corresponding to position 51 of reference sequence SEQ ID NO: 16; and ix. a "C" at PZE-105070525 corresponding to position 51 of reference sequence SEQ ID NO: 17; b. selecting said maize plant if said QTL allele is detected. a. analyzing DNA of a maize plant for the presence of a QTL allele associated with northern leaf blight resistance, wherein said QTL allele is located within an interval on chromosome 5 comprising and flanked by PHM18056 with a reference sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 6 and PHM7958 with a reference sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 8 and said QTL allele comprises: i. a "G" at PZE-105068275 corresponding to position 51 of reference sequence SEQ ID NO: 9; ii. an "A" at PZE-105068432 corresponding to position 51 of reference sequence SEQ ID NO: 10; iii. a "C" at PZE-105068572 corresponding to position 51 of reference sequence SEQ ID NO: 11; iv. a "T" at SYN30642 corresponding to position 61 of reference sequence SEQ ID NO: 12; v. a "C" at PZE-105068746 corresponding to position 51 of reference sequence SEQ ID NO: 13; vi. an "A" at PZE-105069095 corresponding to position 51 of reference sequence SEQ ID NO: 14; vii. an "A" at PZE-105069706 corresponding to position 51 of reference sequence SEQ ID NO: 15; viii. a "T" at PZE-105069906 corresponding to position 51 of reference sequence SEQ ID NO: 16; and ix. a "C" at PZE-105070525 corresponding to position 51 of reference sequence SEQ ID NO: 17; i. a "G" at PZE-105068275 corresponding to position 51 of reference sequence SEQ ID NO: 9; ii. an "A" at PZE-105068432 corresponding to position 51 of reference sequence SEQ ID NO: 10; iii. a "C" at PZE-105068572 corresponding to position 51 of reference sequence SEQ ID NO: 11; iv. a "T" at SYN30642 corresponding to position 61 of reference sequence SEQ ID NO: 12; v. a "C" at PZE-105068746 corresponding to position 51 of reference sequence SEQ ID NO: 13; vi. an "A" at PZE-105069095 corresponding to position 51 of reference sequence SEQ ID NO: 14; vii. an "A" at PZE-105069706 corresponding to position 51 of reference sequence SEQ ID NO: 15; viii. a "T" at PZE-105069906 corresponding to position 51 of reference sequence SEQ ID NO: 16; and ix. a "C" at PZE-105070525 corresponding to position 51 of reference sequence SEQ ID NO: 17; b. selecting said maize plant if said QTL allele is detected.