Corn top die back

G59

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The top of this corn suddenly died. The searches that I have done appear to suggest that this may be anthracnose fungus. I have searched extensively online but cannot find any spray for corn to take care of anthracnose or any other corn fungus. Could you please help identify what exactly this is and what the solutions are. Thank you.
 

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Meadowlark

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Welcome!

There are several possible causes of those top leaves dying back like that. In my experience, excessive heat and drought stress can do it. Nutrient deficiencies e.g. lack of nitrogen can also do it.

If it is anthracnose, normally you would see black lesions and a pink jelly-like substance on the stalk. I can't see that in your photo. To my knowledge, there are no effective fungicides for it.

If it were mine and I was sure that excessive heat, drought stress, and/or nutrient deficiencies were eliminated as possible causes, I believe I would remove and destroy the stalks that exhibit those dying leaves...unless there are just too many of them.

I'd like to see a photo which includes many stalks to get a better feel for the problem, if possible.
 

G59

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Hi Meadowlark,
Thank you very much for your comprehensive response. I have attached additional photos.
Photos 1 to 8 are close up photos of the stalk of the affected plant and photo 9 shows the died back top leaves/tassel. Apart from a few brown leaves at the bottom, the middle leaves remain green before the top leaves/tassel that have died. There are 10 plants in this garden bed but only one has so far suffered top dieback.
Photos 10 to 15 show the entire bed. These photos show browning of some leaves on all the plants.
Photos 16 to 19 show a closeup of the patterns on the leaves of some of the other plants in this bed (not the plant that has suffered top dieback).
Thank you very much for your help.
 

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Chuck

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Dried leaf margins and leaf tips on corn are a sign of a potassium deficiency, improper watering or not enough water. It appears that your corn is in a fabric container. Fabric containers are notorious for allowing plants to become too dry, especially shallow rooted plants like corn. It is not a fungal disease. If it were a viral disease the plants would probably be dead already. What is the Ph of the soil? Research "how soil Ph affects potassium availability."
 

G59

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Dried leaf margins and leaf tips on corn are a sign of a potassium deficiency, improper watering or not enough water. It appears that your corn is in a fabric container. Fabric containers are notorious for allowing plants to become too dry, especially shallow rooted plants like corn. It is not a fungal disease. If it were a viral disease the plants would probably be dead already. What is the Ph of the soil? Research "how soil Ph affects potassium availability."
Thanks Chuck. I'll follow up on the effect of soil Ph on potassium availability. The raised garden bed is actually made of metal. I lined the walls and bottom of the bed with fabric to stop the roots of nearby fruit trees from getting in.
 

Meadowlark

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Nice work on the pictures @G59 . I don't see the anthracnose we spoke of earlier nor any fungal disease. However, I do see plants with nutrient deficiencies.

When I look at photos 11 and 12 for example and others, I see plants that appear to be overcrowded and nutrient starved. In addition, I noted your comment "lined the walls and bottom of the bed with fabric to stop the roots of nearby fruit trees from getting in"

While you may have stopped the roots of nearby fruit trees, you also appear to have stopped the roots of your corn.

When planting corn on a raised bed, the recommended spacing is two plants per square foot. The majority of the root mass in corn is found in the top 3 feet of soil, which is where most of the nutrients and water are absorbed. Corn plants have a fibrous root system that spreads out horizontally as well as vertically. The overcrowding affects the horizontal roots negatively and the fabric liner affects the vertical roots negatively creating a situation of nutrient deficiencies IMO.

At this point in the growth cycle, there isn't much of anything you can do. Next time, try to give more spacing for those horizontal roots and more depth for the vertical roots.
 

G59

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Nice work on the pictures @G59 . I don't see the anthracnose we spoke of earlier nor any fungal disease. However, I do see plants with nutrient deficiencies.

When I look at photos 11 and 12 for example and others, I see plants that appear to be overcrowded and nutrient starved. In addition, I noted your comment "lined the walls and bottom of the bed with fabric to stop the roots of nearby fruit trees from getting in"

While you may have stopped the roots of nearby fruit trees, you also appear to have stopped the roots of your corn.

When planting corn on a raised bed, the recommended spacing is two plants per square foot. The majority of the root mass in corn is found in the top 3 feet of soil, which is where most of the nutrients and water are absorbed. Corn plants have a fibrous root system that spreads out horizontally as well as vertically. The overcrowding affects the horizontal roots negatively and the fabric liner affects the vertical roots negatively creating a situation of nutrient deficiencies IMO.

At this point in the growth cycle, there isn't much of anything you can do. Next time, try to give more spacing for those horizontal roots and more depth for the vertical roots.
Thanks very much Meadowlark. This is wonderful. I have learned so much today and also glad to be pulled back from the wrong direction of chasing anthracnose. Well appreciated.
 

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