INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ROOT AND STALK ROT OF MAIZE

Results are reported about the relationship between root and stalk rot of maize cultivars. With the aid of regression analysis was confirmed that slight root rot corresponded with likewise slight stalk rot. With increasing root rot, the stalk rot increased as well. The disease level changed from region to region and from year to year, but the relationship between the two diseases remained the same. Occasionally occurring contrary reactions of single cultivars, e.g., severe root rot and only moderate stalk rot or vice versa, has to be regarded as causal under the climatic and soil conditions just present, because the same cultivars reacted as usually observed at another place. Generally, root rot was more severe than stalk rot. For breeders a field worth-while to be followed up to obtain root rot degrees of 4-5 as they are present already in some hybrids.