Violent Spore-discharge in Tilletia Tritici

Abstract

Tilletia Tritici and T. laevis are fungi which cause the well-known stinking smut disease or bunt of wheat. An affected wheat grain becomes transformed into a sack filled with several million, closely packed, minute, brown chlamydospores which, in the mass, have the odour of decaying fish. These spores become powdery and, under natural conditions, are passively dispersed by wind and rain. In the artificial process of threshing, the smut-balls are broken open and much of the chlamydospore-powder becomes adherent to the outer surface of the sound wheat grains. When smutty grains are planted in the soil, the fungus attacks the wheat seedlings and once more gives rise to the smut disease. Farmers in Canada and other countries treat the seed-wheat with formalin or some other poisonous substance. This kills the chlamydospores and greatly reduces the incidence of the disease.