This study aimed to validate a new diagrammatic scale to anthracnose stalk in corn. Anthracnose severity was estimated by ten raters without and with use of new scale on 139 internodes with different severity degrees and all evaluators rated the same internodes using the old scale published in the literature and a new proposed scale. All variables of the propose scale, were significantly different than those of old scale, and the values were closer to an accurate measurement (r=0.97, Cb=0.98, u=0:09, υ=1:06, ρc=0.96). The large error deviations were observed when evaluators given notes without the use of scales and also with the old scale, for examples with errors up to 30%. On the other hand the majority errors with the use the new scale were lower than 10%. Higher reliability was achieved with the use of the proposed scale, where 100% of the comparisons were achieved R2>0.90. According to the results the diagrammatic scale proposed in this study improves accuracy, precision and reliability of the evaluators to estimates the anthracnose stalk severity in corn
Zea mays; Colletotrichum graminicola; stalk rot; quantification
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