Loose Smut - Wheat
Ustilago tritici
Loose smut of wheat (Ustilago tritici) is a devastating disease of wheat if not controlled by an appropriate seed treatment. Once infected seed is planted the disease
infects the young plant and then grows within the plant unseen until it is time for seed to be produced. Loose smut then replaces healthy developing grain with masses of fungal spores. Infected plants tend to grow taller and mature earlier than healthy plants which allows the fungal spores to fall down onto the open florets of healthy plants. These spores then infect the developing grain and both the fungus and the grain stay alive until they are planted the next season.
