Isolation and Characterization of Pathogen causing Northern Corn Leaf Blight of Maize in Ri-Bhoi, Meghalaya, India

The present study was carried out to identify and characterize the Exserohilum turcicum causing northern corn leaf blight of maize based on the cultural, morphological and molecular characteristics. Diseased leaf samples from maize fields exhibiting typical cigar shaped symptoms of northern corn leaf blight were collected from the research fields of CPGS-AS (Umiam), College of Agriculture (Kyrdemkulai) and ICAR-RC for NEH region (Umiam) located in Ri-Bhoi district, Meghalaya. Through cultural, morphological, molecular characterization the fungal isolate was identified as Exserohilum sp. Phylogenetic analysis of ITS rDNA gene sequence indicates as Exserohilum turcicum is associated with the disease northern corn leaf blight of maize. The findings underscore the importance of pathogen Exserohilum turcicum causing northern corn leaf blight impact on the maize crop, highlighting potential threat to its production.