Vol. 9, Special Issue 1, Part B (2025)

Maize is the leading cereal crop worldwide with wide adaptability and high productivity potential. Foliar diseases are arguably the major biotic constraints for maize yield. Turcicum Leaf Blight (TLB) is considered to be the most persistent and destructive maize disease among various foliar diseases of maize. Keeping in view above points, 31 genotypes (20 test crosses, 5 lines, 4 testers and 2 checks) were screened against turcicum leaf blight disease in a separate screening plot under artificial epiphytotic conditions to identify tolerant/susceptible genotypes for turcicum leaf blight. In the present investigation, four crosses and one tester recorded moderately resistant reaction (MR). Six crosses and one line observed moderately susceptible reaction (MS). However, six crosses, two lines, one tester and one check exhibited susceptible reaction (S) under field screening. The lines and tester which showed resistant disease reaction for TLB pathogen at phenotypic level, these can be used in future TLB resistance breeding programmes.