Corn Diagnostic Guide - Emergence to 8-10 Leaves

Appearance

Symptoms

Possible Cause(s)

Scattered dead or poorly growing plants Uneven growth (see Uneven Corn)
  • Soil compaction
  • Variation in planting depth, soil moisture, etc.
  • Drainage problems
  • Poor growing conditions
    • cold
    • wet
    • dry
  • Cloddy seedbed
  • Anhydrous or aqua ammonia injury
Slow growth
  • Low fertility
  • Cold (mainly below 55 degrees F)
  • Dry
Plants stunted, wilted and/or discolored
Plants cut off above or below ground level or rapid wilting
Sudden death of plants
  • Frost in low areas of field
  • Lightning
Wilting Upper leaves roll and appear dull or sometimes purple; stunting of plants; plants may die
Whorl dead
Crown roots not developing
  • Dry surface soil
  • Shallow planting depth
  • Wind
Discolored Plants Pale green color
Yellow or dying leaf edges
Yellowing of upper leaves
  • Magnesium deficiency
Yellowing of lower leaves
  • Excessive moisture
Purpling or reddening of leaves from tip backward
Whitish or yellow striping between leaf veins
  • Nutrient deficiency
    • Magnesium
    • Iron
    • Manganese
    • Boron
  • Low pH or acid soil condition
Whitish striping along leaf veins
  • Sulfur deficiency
White areas in the center and towards base of leaves
Lower leaves dead, tips dying on upper leaves
  • Fertilizer injury or burn (nitrogen and potash too close)
Leaves appear sandblasted; pale green or whitish in color
  • Wind damage
  • Thrips
  • Spider mites
Yellowing or browing beginning from leaf tips
Leaves turn white to tan and die
Light and dark mottling or mosaic on leaves
  • Maize dwarf mosaic virus (MDMV) or maize chlorotic dwarf virus (MCDV)
Yellow to white strips with smooth margins running length of leaves
  • Genetic stripe
Bleached bands across leaf blades; leaf tips may die back; leaf collapse and fold downward
Discolored and stunted plants Yellow leaves; spindly, stunted plants
Purple or red discoloration of leaves, especially leaf margins; stunting; stubby, malformed roots; drouthy appearance
  • Herbicide injury
  • Phosphorus deficiency
Discolored, stunted and/or malformed Tillering, stunting
  • Crazy top
Yellow-green tint; severely stunted; inability of leaves to emerge or unfold
Leaves yellow and not expanded; roots sheared off or dried up
  • Shallow application of ahydrous ammonia
Yellow strips in leaves, stunting
  • Sorghum downy mildew
Leaves fail to unfurl properly, often underground; plants may be lodged, lying flat on ground
  • Herbicide injury - Amide (Lasso or Dual)
Leaves stunted and twisted and may appear knotted
Shoots and roots malformed; onion-leafing (leaves remain wrapped)
Plants bent or twisted; stunted; irregular row of holes in unfolded leaves
Lesions on leaves Spots of dead tissue on leaves
Oval, circular or rectangular lesions on leaves
  • Helminthosporium leaf spot
Long, irregular yellow to brown streaks in leaves
Tan, spindle-shape lesions with parallel sides and buff to brown borders
  • Southern corn leaf blight
Oblong, oval, tan colored spots with yellowing of leaves
  • Yellow leaf blight
Brown, oval lesions; yellow to reddish-brown
Small transluscent, circular to oval lesions
Circular to oval cinnamon-brown pustules
Plant tissue missing or removed Plant cut off at ground level
Leaves eaten off or large areas of leaf tissue removed
Ragged leaves shredded or torn
Rows of circular to elliptical holes across leaves (shothole affect)
Ragged holes in leaves
Longitudinal slits chewed out from between leaf veins
  • Cereal leaf beetles
Irregular brown lines or tracks scratched from the top layer of leaf tissue
"Window effect" of leaves - interior leaves eaten out
  • Corn blotch leaf miners
Yellow, weakened area on leaf mid-rib from tunneling feeding damage

Planting to Emergence || Emergence to 8-10 Leaves || 8-10 Leaves to Tasseling || Tasseling to Maturity || Corn Diagnostic Guide

Adapted by James H. Hill, Iowa State University - Hancock County Extension Education Director, from information prepared by Dale M. Studt, retired ISU Extension Crop Production Specialist.


JHHill 10/16/2007