MANEJO DO COMPLEXO DE ENFEZAMENTOS DO MILHO DOCE (Zea mays L.) ATRAVÉS DE NUTRIÇÃO FOLIAR

Abstract

Corn is the world’s leading cereal crop in terms of cultivation and includes several specialty varieties, among which sweet corn stands out due to its high market potential. The corn stunt disease complex is one of the major challenges affecting this crop and can be classified into red stunt and pale yellow stunt, both of which cause significant yield losses. These are systemic diseases caused by mollicutes that invade and colonize the vascular tissues, reducing the growth and reproductive capacity of affected plants. Therefore, the adoption of integrated disease management practices is essential to improve crop quality. The present study aimed to evaluate the influence of micronutrient management on the corn stunt disease complex in sweet corn (Zea mays L.), seeking to reduce disease-related losses. The experiment was conducted in Morrinhos, Goiás, Brazil, from March to June 2025 under center-pivot irrigation. The sweet corn hybrid used was GSS0227, and the nutrients were supplied through the commercial products Dueto (77.7 g L⁻¹ Mn and 77.7 g L⁻¹ Zn), Boro Pro (130 g L⁻¹ B), and Buddy (47.25 g L⁻¹ Cu). Eight treatments were evaluated, consisting of the products applied individually, in combination, and an untreated control. Two applications were carried out for each treatment in association with the grower’s conventional management practices. The evaluated variables were Total Weight, Ear Weight, Grain Weight, Soluble Solids (°Brix), and Total Chlorophyll. The results showed no statistically significant differences among treatments for any of the evaluated variables. Therefore, the application of micronutrients was not directly associated with reducing the damage caused by the corn stunt disease complex in sweet corn plants.