METHOD FOR DETECTION OF STENOCARPELLA-MAYDIS (EARLE) SUTT (DIPLODIA-MAYDIS (BERK) SACC)

Natural infection of maize seed with Stenocarpella maydis (Earle) Sutt. (Diplodia maydis (Berk.) Sacc.) was evaluated using eight procedures of 'ragdoll' (rolled towel) method (RM) and 'slant' agar method (SAM). A severe infection of 67.9 % was found in RM procedure H if rolls were positioned vertically causing the inoculum to ooze down, exposed to high temperature favourable for pathogen development and with a 2 cm seed spacing when infection spread to healthy seedlings. RM procedure A with 5 cm seed spacing, horizontal rolls and permanent dark at 20 and SAM provided similar results for 2.1 and 1.8 % of seed infection, respectively.