Food crops are commodities that are needed by the Indonesian people to meet their daily needs. Corn is one of the main food crops in Indonesia. Corn plants grow well in hot and cold areas with adequate rainfall and irrigation.Â
However, maize production is constrained by the presence of plant pathogens. Important diseases in plant can reduce the quantity and quality of crop yields and ultimately cause economic losses. Important diseases in food crops show different symptoms depending on the pathogen causing the disease. One of the important diseases in maize is leaf blight caused by the fungus Helminthosporium turcicum.Â
Corn is one of the second carbohydrate source food commodities after rice which has a strategic role in the national economy. Its position as the main food source has a high enough opportunity to be developed as a raw material for the food processing industry (Herlina & Fitriani, 2017).Â
One of the efforts to meet the national corn demand is by cultivating corn plants, which of course requires planning to increase corn production.
1. Preparation of Seeds
Using certified seeds that have superior varieties, quality and have high production yield potential.
2. Land Preparation
Land preparation begins with clearing weeds or previous crop residues.
3. Cropping Pattern
The cropping pattern used is a rotational monoculture cropping pattern because the cultivation technique is relatively easy and only one type of plant is maintained.
4. Planting
Corn plants are planted at the beginning of the dry season after the second rice planting.
5. Irrigation
Corn plants need sufficient water but are not stagnant.
6. Fertilization
Basic fertilization is carried out before planting.
7. Control of Leaf Blight on Corn Plants
Common control carried out by farmers is chemical control using fungicides.
