Corn is an extremely robust plant that is rarely affected by diseases. Damage caused by animal and plant pests, on the other hand, is much more common, but can be prevented and treated with simple measures.
What diseases and pests affect corn?
Corn can be affected by diseases such as corn blight and corn rust, while animal pests such as birds, voles, moles, corn borers and corn rootworms are more common. Prevention through alternating crop rotation, bird protection nets and weed control helps to reduce damage.
The most common diseases in corn
One of the few, more common corn diseases is corn blight. This is a fungus that only affects corn. It causes tumor-like growths that primarily affect the butts. Although corn smut is considered a pest here, in Mexico it is a delicacy known as “huitlacoche”. Treating plants that are already infected is difficult, but prevention is possible and useful. For this reason, corn should not be grown on the same area for several years in a row.
Corn rust occurs mainly in the south
Corn rust is also a fungal disease that occurs primarily in warmer areas of Germany. However, this disease hardly plays a role in the garden. The fungus spreads primarily from certain types of sorrel to corn. Emergence and seedling diseases, which result in poor growth and a poor harvest, are more common. You can prevent such problems by not sowing corn too early and avoiding waterlogging.
The most common pests in corn
However, far more often than diseases, animal pests in particular damage your own corn harvest. Above all, these are birds such as sparrows, blackbirds and other songbirds. They also really appreciate sweet, nutritious corn. To prevent bird damage, the corn plants should be covered with a bird protection net - at least when the corn reaches the milky stage.
Major damage caused by voles and moles
However, damage caused by voles or moles, which feast on the roots underground and can cause the plants to die, is less easy to remove. Voles in particular can only be de alt with using a special trap (€31.00 on Amazon).
Pestious insects especially in industrial corn cultivation
The corn borer is also an insect that only attacks corn. It is a pink to dark brown colored, nocturnal butterfly that lays its eggs on the underside of leaves. The corn rootworm can also cause significant damage. The yellow-brown beetle lays its eggs on the rootstock and its larvae then feed on the corn roots. You can only counteract both insects through preventative rotational cultivation.
Important information for preventing damage caused by diseases and pests
- avoid frost when sowing or planting outdoors
- at least 10 degrees soil temperature
- Avoid waterlogging, but keep plants moist
- Change acreage annually (changing crop rotation)
- Install bird protection net
Tips & Tricks
Many pests (including corn borers and corn rootworms) are attracted by weeds. You should therefore regularly remove weeds from the corn field and also carefully remove or undermine all residues after harvest.
