Xiaoqing Tang

Hainan Institute of Biotechnology, Haikou, 570206, Hainan, China
Author    Correspondence author
Molecular Pathogens, 2024, Vol. 15, No. 2   doi: 10.5376/mp.2024.15.0010
Received: 18 Feb., 2024    Accepted: 31 Mar., 2024    Published: 25 Apr., 2024

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Tang X.Q., 2024, Integrated Approaches to managing Fusarium and other fungal pathogens in maize, Molecular Pathogens, 15(2): 93-105 (doi: 10.5376/mp.2024.15.0010)

As one of the world's most important food crops, the stability of corn yield and quality is crucial for ensuring global food security. However, diseases caused by Fusarium and other fungal pathogens pose a significant threat to corn production, leading to substantial yield losses and economic impacts. This study provides an overview of Fusarium and other common fungal pathogens of corn, symptom identification, life cycles, and epidemiological characteristics. It analyzes the multifaceted impacts of these fungal pathogens on corn yield, economy, health, and the environment. The study explores the importance of integrated management measures to effectively control corn fungal diseases through cultural and agronomic practices, biological control strategies, chemical control methods, and monitoring and early detection. By systematically analyzing the biological characteristics, epidemiology, and effects of Fusarium and other fungal pathogens on corn, the study proposes a set of scientific and effective integrated control strategies. These strategies not only help reduce disease losses in corn production, increase corn yield and quality, and ensure food security but also reduce the risk of mycotoxin contamination, protect human and animal health, and decrease the use of chemical pesticides, promoting sustainable agricultural development.

Maize; Fusarium; Fungal diseases; Mycotoxins; Control strategies