What Is Wrong If My Corn Stalks Are Drooping?

Stalk Rot

• Stalk rot can cause severe wilting of corn stalks and can be accelerated by stress caused by drought, especially in the late season. Stalk rot is characterized by purple leaves and wilting black stalks in the early stages of the disease.

Purple Leaf Sheath

• Often confused with stalk rot because of the purple patches on the leaves, purple leaf sheath is caused by microorganisms from pollen and other contaminants growing between the stalk and the leaf sheath.

European Corn Borer

• The European corn borer weakens corn stalks by burrowing into the root system. Additionally, it can also spread and accelerate both stalk rot and purple leaf sheath. The insects can also damage the ear shank, weakening it enough to cause it to break off the plant.

Mitigation

• The only remedy for either disease or corn borers is to cut losses by harvesting the plants as soon as possible.