Uttaranchal College of Agricultural Sciences, Uttaranchal University, Arcadia Grant, Premnagar, Dehradun-248007, Uttarakhand (INDIA) 

Soil moisture plays an important role in disease development in most of the field crops. It regulates soil micro-flora and their types including pathogens. Post flowering stalk rot in maize is caused by Fusarium verticillioides is one important diseases of maize which reduces its yield and economic value. In present study, maize plants were grown in sick plots and soil moisture was regulated at grain filling stage with three different irrigation schedules viz. I₁ (Local practice - irrigation once in every 15 days), I₂ (additional one irrigation during the grain filling stage), I₃ (Stress during and after the grain filling stage). These irrigation schedules were studied for their effect on disease incidence and crop yield. Among them, I₃ irrigation schedule exhibited high average disease rating of 7.36 and percent stalk rot was 42.66 (at 70 DAS) followed by I₁ irrigation schedule with average disease rating of 5.76 and percent stalk rot of 20.33 (at 70 DAS). I₂ irrigation schedule showed significantly superior results with least of average disease rating (3.43) and percent stalk rot (9.66 at 70 DAS). Total lodging percent was calculated at 85 DAS that varied similarly i.e., 26.66 (I₃ schedule) followed by 23.33 (I₁ schedule) and 12.66 (I₂ schedule). Other yield parameters like number of cobs per plant, cob length, cob diameter, grains per cob and their test weight were also studied. The values of these parameters were found in correlation with average disease rating and total lodging percent. Results from present study advocated that use of an additional irrigation during grain filling stage can minimize the disease incidence and improve the yield of maize.

Key words: Fusarium verticillioides, moisture stress, average disease rating, yield parameters.