Maize,Zea maysL., is an important cereal crop in India. Of the 60orso diseases that affect this crop in India, bacterial stalk rot (also known as chrysanthemi stalk rot) caused byErwinia chrysanthemipv.zeae(Sabet) Victoria, Arboleda and Munoz is one of the four major stalk diseases; incidence as high as 80–85% has been observed in nature. Yield losses up to 98.8% have been experienced under artificial epiphytotics. Studies carried out in India during the past 25 years or so have generated information on germplasm evaluation, virulence of the pathogen, aetiology, epidemiology and chemical control of the disease which is reviewed in this article.