Prevention Of Ear Rots Due To Fusarium Spp. On Maize And Mycotoxin Accumulation  explores the problem of ear rots caused by various Fusarium species across Europe, the most important of which are red and pink ear rot.

The authors, from ENDURE partners in Poland, Hungary, Germany and Switzerland, note that not only do Fusarium infections lead to reductions in yields, but they also lead to contamination with mycotoxins. These mycotoxins are resistant to high temperatures and chemicals and can accumulate in grain and cause many diseases. For this reason there are European-wide regulations specifying the maximum levels allowable for Fusarium mycotoxins in food and animal feed, the details of which are included in the leaflet.

The guide, part of the From Science to Field series, notes that no efficient chemical control in the field is possible to tackle ear rots, and therefore farmers have to rely on a range of cultural practices. Of these practices, ENDURE’s researchers judge crop rotation, crop residue management and harvest time and storage to have the highest impact on reducing ear rot problems.

To a lesser extent, good nutrient supply and varietal choice can also play a role in reducing ear rot problems, while seed quality, sowing time and crop structure are judged to have a smaller impact.

In terms of direct chemical controls, only management of insect pests is judged by ENDURE researchers to have a high impact in reducing ear rot infection. An interesting development on the latter point has been the development of genetically engineered maize producing an insecticidal protein from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis  (Bt ). Researchers note that maize hybrids expressing the Bt gene have been found to be less infected with Fusarium spp. and showed lower mycotoxin concentrations in kernels.

You can download this leaflet below, along with the first two leaflets produced by the maize case study team, Number 1: Non-chemical Control of Corn Borers Using Trichogramma or Bt Maize  and Number 2: Western Corn Rootworm in Europe: Integrated Pest Management is the Only Sustainable Solution . You can also find a selection of related stories and the final report (Deliverable) of the maize case study.