What causes corn smut in fields?
Common smut is caused by disease introduction through early, vigorously growing, wounded plant tissue under the correct weather conditions (no consensus but rainy, humid weather is generally critical for infection). Resistant corn hybrids do exist and some studies indicate that resistant lines could be selected by evaluating the progeny of developmental materials test-crossed with susceptible varieties. However, incidence is usually low and sporadic. Often tillers show more problems with smut than main corn plants.
