One of several cereal crop pathogens called smut, the fungus forms galls on all above-ground parts of corn species such as maize and teosinte.

The infected corn is edible; in Mexico, it is considered a delicacy, called huitlacoche,[5] often eaten as a filling in quesadillas and other tortilla-based dishes, as well as in soups.

The infection causes the corn kernels to swell up into tumor-like galls, wherein the tissues, texture, and developmental pattern are mushroom-like.

[citation needed] When grown in the lab on very simple media, M. maydis behaves like baker's yeast, forming single cells called sporidia.

If this signaling is successful, they then send out conjugation tubes to find each other,[12] after which they fuse and make a hypha to enter the corn plant.

In contrast to sporidia, the dikaryotic phase of M. maydis only occurs during successful infection of a corn plant, and cannot be maintained in the laboratory.

Proliferation of the fungus inside the plant leads to disease symptoms such as chlorosis, anthocyanin formation, reduced growth, and the appearance of tumors harboring the developing teliospores.

A rapid plant defense reaction after pathogen attack is the oxidative burst, which involves the production of reactive oxygen species at the site of the attempted invasion.

This disease can have a large economic impact on sweet corn, specifically when smut galls replace the kernels.

[20] Although not all the conditions that favor growth of M. maydis are known, there are certain environments where corn smut seems to thrive, depending on both abiotic and biotic factors.

Hot and dry weather during pollination followed by a heavy rainy season appear to improve the pathogenicity of corn smut.

High winds and heavy rain also increase disease spread as the spores of corn smut can be more easily transmitted.

The immature galls, gathered 2 to 3 weeks after an ear of corn is infected, still retain moisture and, when cooked, have a flavor described as mushroom-like, sweet, savory, woody, and earthy.

[24] The fungus has had difficulty entering into the American and European diets as most farmers see it as blight, despite attempts by government and high-profile chefs to introduce it into food products.

In the mid-1990s, due to demand created by high-end restaurants, Pennsylvania and Florida farms were allowed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to intentionally infect corn with huitlacoche.

The cursory show of interest is significant because the USDA has spent a considerable amount of time and money trying to eradicate corn smut in the United States.

Moreover, in 1989, the James Beard Foundation held a high-profile huitlacoche dinner, prepared by Josefina Howard, chef at Rosa Mexicano restaurant.

The North Dakota Hidatsa tribe's practice of preparing and eating corn smut is described vividly in Buffalo Bird Woman's Garden.

[29] A simple Mexican-style succotash can be made from chorizo, onions, garlic, serrano peppers, huitlacoche, and shrimp with salsa taquera.

The mild, earthy flavors of the huitlacoche blend nicely with the fats of the chorizo and bond to mellow out the heat from the peppers and salsa.

In 1996, a study on M. maydis genetics led to the discovery of synthesis-dependent strand annealing, a method of homologous recombination used in DNA repair.