ABSTRACT
Maize (Zea mays L.) also called Indian corn, is among the leading cereal crops in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. It is the world’s third-most important cereal grain. Pakistan ranks 22nd in maize-producing countries of the world. Apart from being the staple food, it is also an essential feed for livestock, nutritionally and economically important among all forage crops. Due to its wide adaptability, diversified uses, and low production costs, it has great potential as a cereal crop. Biotic factors like nematodes, fungi, viruses, bacteria, and insects drastically affect maize crop production. The fungal diseases of maize play a significant role in reducing both the yield and the quality of the produce. At growth different stages, the maize plant suffers from numerous diseases, such as Anthracnose stalk rot, brown spot, downy mildew, maize rust, maize smut, southern corn leaf blight, bacterial stalk rot, Stewart’s wilt, maize chlorotic dwarf virus, and maize chlorotic mottle virus are significant diseases. The distribution, disease cycle, symptoms of the damage, effects of environmental factors, economic losses, and integrated management options of major diseases of maize have been reviewed in this chapter.
