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#wheat disease

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Fungi Classification

Ustilago tritici causes

Ustilago tritici incites loose smut of wheat, a systemic floral smut where entire inflorescence except rachis converts into powdery olive-black mass of teliospores initially enclosed by delicate grayish peridium. Teliospores germinate in soil producing basidium bearing haploid basidiospores infecting coleoptile of germinating wheat seedling; dikaryotic mycelium grows intercellularly, remains dormant within embryo, proliferates vigorously at heading stage replacing ovaries. Spore masses disperse openly via wind, lacking persistent covering membrane unlike covered smut. Distinction from rusts which produce rusty pustules not smutted grains is evident.

Ref: Agrios Plant Pathology 5th ed. Chapter 11 Smut Diseases; NCERT Class 11 Biology Fungi Importance

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Fungi Classification

Puccinia graminis causes

Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici is a macrocyclic heteroecious basidiomycete responsible for black stem rust of wheat, historically causing major famines. Dikaryotic urediniospores on wheat stems produce reddish-brown pustules enabling polycyclic secondary spread through wind dispersal, teliospores survive winter, germinate to form promycelium producing haploid basidiospores infecting alternate host Berberis vulgaris. Barberry supports pycnial spermatization and aecial stages providing sexual recombination generating new races. Haustorial penetration through stomata collapses photosynthetic tissue, shrivels grains, reduces yield dramatically distinct from corn smut or fungal blights.

Ref: Agrios Plant Pathology 5th ed. Chapter 11 Rusts; NCERT Class 12 Biology Chapter Plant Diseases

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