{"id":3031,"date":"2016-06-20T12:20:04","date_gmt":"2016-06-20T16:20:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/outcropn\/?p=3031"},"modified":"2016-06-20T12:20:04","modified_gmt":"2016-06-20T16:20:04","slug":"be-on-the-look-out-for-loose-smut","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/outcropn\/2016\/06\/20\/be-on-the-look-out-for-loose-smut\/","title":{"rendered":"Be On the Look Out for Loose Smut"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Loose<\/a>
Loose smut infected wheat head.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As winter grains are heading out and flowering, it\u2019s time to start scouting your fields for loose smut (Ustilago nuda, Ustilago avenae,<\/em> and Ustilago tritici).<\/em> Loose smut is found in winter and spring spelt, barley, and wheat, as well as oats.<\/p>\n

Spelt and barley are particularly susceptible to infection. Loose smut is one of the easiest grain diseases to spot in the field. During spike or head emergence, diseased heads emerge slightly earlier than healthy ones and appear as a mass of dark brown spores covered with paper-like membrane. This membrane tears easily as healthy plants begin to flower, and windblown spores infect the embryos of developing seed. After the fungus invades the grain seed embryo, it remains dormant until the seed is planted and germinates. Infected plants appear to be normal, but develop smutted heads.<\/p>\n

Planting contaminated seed, especially in organic systems, can exponentially increase grain infection rates, resulting in yield reductions; 100% of the smutted heads are lost. Eating loose smut infected grain poses no harmful health effects and doesn\u2019t appear to impact baking quality.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>Control<\/h3>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>If you find loose smut in your fields, don\u2019t save the seed.<\/p>\n