Abstract
Control of maize late wilt disease (LWD) has been at the forefront of research efforts since the discovery of the disease in the 1960s. The disease has become a major economic restraint in highly affected areas such as Egypt and Israel, and is of constant concern in other counties. LWD causes dehydration and collapsing at a late stage of maize cultivation, starting from the male flowering phase. The disease causal agent, Magnaporthiopsis maydis, is a seed- and soil-borne phytoparasitic fungus, penetrating the roots at sprouting, colonizing the vascular system without external symptoms, and spreading upwards in the xylem, eventually blocking the water supply to the plant’s upperparts. Nowadays, the disease’s control relies mostly on identifying and developing resistant maize cultivars. Still, host resistance can be limited because M. maydis undergoes pathogenic variations, and virulent strains can eventually overcome the host immunity. This alarming status is driving researchers to continue to seek other control methods. The current review will summarize the various strategies tested over the years to minimize the disease damage. These options include agricultural (crop rotation, cover crop, no-till, flooding the land before sowing, and balanced soil fertility), physical (solar heating), allelochemical, biological, and chemical interventions. Some of these methods have shown promising success, while others have contributed to our understanding of the disease development and the environmental and host-related factors that have shaped its outcome. The most updated global knowledge about LWD control will be presented, and knowledge gaps and future aims will be discussed.
Highlights
Zea mays L. is one of the world’s leading crops for food, feed, and fuel and as a raw material for different industrial products [1]
The current review focuses on the vast efforts dedicated in the past 60 years to late wilt disease control
Late wilt diseased plants have a tissue color alteration of the vascular bundles appears as red strips on the lower stem surface. (D) Crosscolor alteration to a yellow‐brown and vascular bundle occlusion
Summary
Zea mays L. (maize, corn) is one of the world’s leading crops for food, feed, and fuel and as a raw material for different industrial products [1]. Considerable research efforts in the past two decades were dedicated to seeking alternative methods of LWD control Most of these efforts focus on eco-friendly substitutions to traditional chemical approaches. Late wilt green control studies aimed at developing soil conservation practices that promote antagonizing mycorrhizal fungi (summarized by [31]) Even though this scientific course has been extensively explored against many harmful plant pathogens [32], in regard to LWD, substantial knowledge gaps exist. The current review will summarize the many approaches tested to restrain the disease’s spread and damage, stating their advantages and limitations It will recommend the application of these methods in high- or low-risk scenarios (resulting from host resistance degree and soil infection load). The review will highlight knowledge gaps and future research focus points that should be addressed to advance LWD-safe commercial maize production capability
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