Genome-wide association mapping reveals novel sources of resistance to northern corn leaf blight in maize

Background Northern corn leaf blight (NCLB) caused by Exserohilum turcicum is a destructive disease in maize. Using host resistance to minimize the detrimental effects of NCLB on maize productivity is the most cost-effective and appealing disease management strategy. However, this requires the identification and use of stable resistance genes that are effective across different environments.