maydis

Maydis is a Latin adjective meaning “of maize” or “maize-related,” and it appears as a species epithet in several biological names that indicate association with maize. The best-known use is in Ustilago maydis, the corn smut fungus, a basidiomycete plant pathogen that infects Zea mays (maize) and related grasses worldwide.

Ustilago maydis causes corn smut, which forms enlarged, tumor-like galls on ears, tassels, and sometimes stems. The disease cycle begins when compatible haploid yeast-like cells fuse to form a dikaryotic mycelium that colonizes plant tissue and induces gall formation. Inside the galls, teliospores develop and later disperse after rupture, allowing survival in soil and dissemination by wind or handling. Environmental conditions that are cool and moist can favour infection. Many maize varieties exhibit some resistance, and management generally relies on resistant cultivars, crop rotation and field sanitation; chemical control is limited in effectiveness under typical agricultural conditions.

Beyond Ustilago maydis, the epithet maydis appears in other taxonomic combinations reflecting maize association, though U. maydis remains the most prominent example. In Mexican cuisine, corn smut caused by U. maydis is cultivated and consumed as huitlacoche, a traditional delicacy with cultural and culinary significance. The term maydis is primarily a taxonomic descriptor rather than a standalone organism, used to denote maize-related relationships in various taxa.