Subject: Karnal Bunt disease

From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 04 Apr 96 08:08:18 PDT

Can anyone offer me some leader information on Karnal Bunt disease of wheat??

[email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (David Hole)
Date: Fri, 05 Apr 96 20:26:07 GMT

>Can anyone offer me some leader information on Karnal Bunt disease of wheat??

Karnal bunt is caused by _Tilletia indica_ Mitra.  It attacks wheats (durum 
are somewhat resistant) and triticales.  The teliospores are released from 
bunted or partially bunted kernels during threshing, they germinate in the 
spring and summer.  Cool rainy weather during anthesis of wheat favors 
sporidia development on the soil surface.  Sporidia are wind borne and infect 
the developing ovule (penetrating the glumes and ovary wall). The kernel then 
becomes completely or partially filled with smut sori.  It is a difficult 
disease to determine resistance since there are no outward indications that a 
given plant is diseased.  Each head must be individually innoculated and 
threshed to determine reistance or susceptability.  There is some resistant 
germplasm developed by CIMMYT in Mexico.  The disease is now in the US and 
will probably progress into areas that have favorable climates.  Fungicides 
applied during heading can minimize disease infection but typically leave 
undesirable residues in the harvested grain.
Also see http://www.ceris.purdue.edu/napis/pests/kb/index.html or up to the 
date info on the from the USDA at 
http://www.usda.gov/news/releases/1996/04/april.htm
Hope this helps.