How do I control banded leaf and sheath blight in maize in humid weather?

Banded leaf and sheath blight, caused by a Rhizoctonia fungus, shows large irregular concentric banded lesions on the sheaths and leaves and can spread to the cob in warm, humid, densely planted maize, sometimes causing serious loss. Manage it by avoiding very dense planting and excess nitrogen so the canopy stays airy, ensuring good drainage, and removing or ploughing in infected stubble that carries the fungus between seasons. Strip the lower infected leaf sheaths in small fields, and where the disease is active in wet weather, spray a recommended fungicide such as validamycin or a sheath-blight type product directed at the lower canopy near the lesions, as is done for rice sheath blight. Crop rotation with a non-host and tolerant hybrids reduce build-up. Confirm fungicide and dose with your local KVK and follow the label.