Fungi and fungicides; a practical manual, concerning the fungous diseases of cultivated plants and the means of preventing their ravages . ercent, of the crop was destroyed by smut one general average, the country over, however, prob-ably does not exceed one or two per cent. Although corn smut usually infests the ears of theplant, it is occasionally found upon tassel, stem andleaves. On the ear it first appears as a white, malformedmass, representing either the whole ear or a portion ofthe kernels (Fig. 84). The whiteness gradually becomesdarker, finally changing into a brownish-bla
Fungi and fungicides; a practical manual, concerning the fungous diseases of cultivated plants and the means of preventing their ravages . ercent, of the crop was destroyed by smut one general average, the country over, however, prob-ably does not exceed one or two per cent. Although corn smut usually infests the ears of theplant, it is occasionally found upon tassel, stem andleaves. On the ear it first appears as a white, malformedmass, representing either the whole ear or a portion ofthe kernels (Fig. 84). The whiteness gradually becomesdarker, finally changing into a brownish-black powderymass, consisting of millions of the minute spores orreproductive bodies of the fungus. On the tassels theswellings are not so large, and on the stem and leaftheir size varies greatly. 202 THE CORX SMUT 203 When one of these spores comes in contact with adrop of water it soon germinates by sending ont a littletube, which has the power of developiog certain second-ary spores, called sporidia. The sporidia themselves,have the power of germinating, under favorable condi-tions, and in a liquid containing sufficient organic mat-. FIG. 84. IAKT OF SMUTTKI) EAR OF COJJN, ter for their nourishment (manure water, for example),they can continue growing and multiplying for an indef-inite period. It is believed, by some authors, that thesesporidia may develop in the barnyard, from the sporeswhich find their way to the manure pile, and be carried 204 FUNGI AXD FUXGICIDES to the field with the manure, finally infecting the plants,but this has not yet been definitely determined. Theobservations of Kuhn indicate that the penetrates the very young corn plant at theroot node and the first formed joint, and that after thecorn gets well started the danger of infection by smut ispassed. It has generally been supposed that the sporesadhered to the seed, and caused infection; bnt recentexperiments at the Kansas Experiment Station—in-hich corn kernels were rolled in smu
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectpathoge, bookyear1896
