ear rots just discussed, some correlation appears to exist between closed rather than 
open ears and abundance of disease, indicating that full husk coverage provides con- 
Table 16.-- Relation of Basisporium cob rot to husk coverage, 
1981-1955. 
ed 
t Excess of 
' 
Percent of rotted ears! open, in 
Number of rotted ears 
Year Open | Covered _ Open | Be Covered percent 
1931 31 ? | 81.6 18.4 6362 
1932 12 3 { 80.0 20.0 60.0 
1933 6 27 fe Page 81,8 ~ 63.6 
1934 33 76 | 30.3 69.7 ~ 39.4 
1935 Agent 101 SeihG 6S 84.2 - 68.4 
Averag ae ae ee 
ee ey mee er ee oe 
ditions favoring infections but the occurrence in 2 years of more open diseased than 
covered diseased ears, together with the small average preponderance of covered dis- 
eased ears indicates also a degree of independence of ear coverage. In view of the 
‘wide distribution on living and dead plant materials of the causal fungus, as well 
as its strong saprophytism, it may be assumed that it finds the accumulation of 
pollen and plant refuse held, and perhaps kept favorably moist, by long, enclosing 
husks especially satisfactory as a medium of primary development, from which subse-= 
quent infection may be accomplished. 
Comparison of the Relations of Specific Ear Rots to Husk Coverase 
While the general prevalence of ear rot, as indicated in a previous section, 
appears definitely correlated with imperfect coverage of corn ears, it will have been 
noticed in the preceding discussion of specific rots that there is no general agree- 
ment among them as to predominance of infection in either open or closed ears, ‘/ith 
certain diseases, the preponderance of infection occurs in open ears; with others, it 
occurs in closed ears; and with some there is an alternation from one condition to 
the other in different years. 
[15] 
