Guarding Maize: Vigilance Against Pathogens Early Identification, Detection, and Prevention

Maize, also known as corn, is a crucial crop worldwide. It is noticeable that due to diseases maize production is affected. Maize diseases can have a significant impact on yield. Common diseases include those caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi, and other pathogens. Proper artificial intelligence-based crop management and disease control are essential for maximizing maize production. Corn leaf stage methods are used to assess the growth and development of maize plants. These stages are often described using a system called the V-stage or “the Vegetative stage.” Corn is a widely cultivated cereal crop that has a rich history dating back 7000 years, originating from wild grasses in Central America and having significant cultural, economic, and nutritional importance worldwide. Around the globe, India is the fifth largest maize (corn) producer according to the USDA 2022–2023 report, which produces 3,20,00,000 million metric tons of corn annually. The United States holds the first position with 35,38,36,000 million metric tons of production. According to the USDA report maize production decreased by 1216.87 million tons last year. The prophecy indicated that in 2023 maize production also decreased by 1216.87 million tons, which is 4.52% of the globe. This continuous decrease in maize crops is due to diseases caused by bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Corn seed undergoes various stages from germination to the dotage stage, absorbing water and other essential nutrients for growth. Due to climatic conditions corn plants suffer from such diseases, identification of disease and detection at the prior stage are very important so that quality and yield of maize crops are not affected. For this, we introduce the anatomy of maize plants, the key features of a crop, leaf stage and methods, the maturity cycle of maize plants, and a brief overview of the diseases caused by fungi, bacteria, and viruses in maize.