SUMMARYStalk rot was present in each of 78 maize crops and six hybrid maize trials examined between 1971 and 1975.Fusarium culmorumwas the main cause of the disease and was isolated from 67 of the 82 samples from which isolates were made. Lodging was found to be related to, and a natural succession of, the earlier wilting symptom caused by infection withF. culmorum.Yield losses were estimated in 39 crops between 1973 and 1975 and the disease caused a mean reduction of 18‐7% in cob weight and 11‐2% in 1000‐grain weight of infected plants over the 3 yr of the s