Does anybody have any ideas for tackling common smut on sweet corn? I understand that it is not common in the UK.
In particular, are there any disease-resistant varieties?
My sweetcorn got this last year for the first time - all I know about it is that you shouldn't grow sweetcorn there again for 3 yrs. it would be good to know of some varieties with resistance.
It's going to be much more common as the summers get hotter - that's one of the triggers. The quarantine period is about 5 years (or so I read!) and have so far had it twice - 2003 (Ovation) and last year (Lark). The best thing you can do is check your cobs frequently - as soon as one seems to be growing something odd, cut it off and burn/bin it. If the swollen kernel pops, then the spores will be in that location and you're looking at quarantine. If you catch it in time, the risk is probably not as high. However, the stems can also harbour infection. After the end of the season, cut the haulms down and burn them. Do not compost.
Course, you could go Mexican and eat them! They actually grow corn in order to get the fungal growths!
moonbells
I got one on ours last year too just caught it in time.
Touchwood not had it this far north yet!
:-\