This study aimed to manage pink ear rot disease caused by Fusarium verticillioides and Maize (Zea mays
L.) is a highly productive and economically significant cereal crop that is cultivated and consumed
worldwide. According to Olakojo et al., (2005) and Akinbode et al., (2012), maize ranks among the most
versatile crops due to its high yield potential and nutritional benefits. In 2022, Egypt reported
approximately 1.5 million feddans (around 600,000 hectares) dedicated to maize cultivation, placing the
country as the 14th largest producer globally, as per the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the
Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation (FAO, 2022; Ministry of Agriculture and Land
Reclamation, 2022). While Egypt is not among the top maize producers, its significant planting area
underscores the crop's importance to the national economy and food security. to evaluate the impact of
tested treatments on maize yield parameters which applied as sprays either once, twice, or three times. Single
applications of treatments like Bacillus subtilis, garlic oil, camphor oil, and chitosan were generally ineffective,
while Topsin-M70 fungicide reduced disease severity by 25.02%. When applied twice, chitosan was most
effective, reducing disease severity by 46.44%, followed by nano-chitosan, camphor oil, and fungicide TopsinM70. When applied three times, fungicide Topsin-M70 showed the most effective, reducing disease severity by
84.62%, with Bacillus subtilis, nano-chitosan, and camphor oil also performed well. Repeated applications of
Trichoderma harzianum, carnation oil, and garlic oil increased disease severity. Also, the study evaluated the
impact of tested treatments on maize yield parameters. Results indicated that nano-chitosan and camphor oil
were the most effective in enhancing yield parameters such as the number of rows per ear, kernels per row, 100-
kernel weight, and grain yield per plant, with nano-chitosan showing the highest improvements across most
parameters. Fungicide Topsin-M70 also demonstrated significant efficacy, particularly in grain yield per plant.
Overall, multiple applications of the treatments led to greater improvements in maize yield parameters. |
