Field trials were conducted during the 2008 and 2009 rainy seasons at the Nassarawa state University Research and demonstration Farm Shabu- Lafia campus to determine the incidence and severity of Stenocarpella ear rot of maize in relation to sowing dates. The treatments consisted of three planting dates (5/6, 19/6 and 4/7 2008 and 2009. It was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design and replicated four times. Maize was planted two weeks interval between planting dates with all agronomic practices being observed. At harvest Stenocarpella ear rot were identified using a Maize Disease guide for field identification. The infested and non infested kernels were counted and recorded; the results obtained were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA). The result revealed that the incidence of Stenocarpella ear rots were statistically the same at plating dates of 5/6 of both years and 19/6, 2009 and produces higher incidence than later dates in this study. There was no significant differences in terms of severity index of Stenocarpella ear rot at P
Key words: Incidence, severity, ear rots, fungi, mycotoxins, planting dates.
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