Premium
Some ecological factors influencing the proportion of loose smut ( Ustilago nuda (Jens.) Rostr.) in wheat crops
Author(s) -
DOLING D. A.
Publication year - 1965
Publication title -
annals of applied biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.677
H-Index - 80
eISSN - 1744-7348
pISSN - 0003-4746
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-7348.1965.tb07945.x
Subject(s) - biology , ustilago , smut , crop , agronomy , horticulture , botany , biochemistry , gene
SUMMARY Cappelle–Desprez winter wheat produced different proportions of smutted ears when grown at several centres throughout the country. This variation was not simply related to crop density, though plots which showed poor establishment in 1961/62 gave very low numbers of smutted ears. After grading the seed it was found that the smallest seed size contained a higher proportion of smutted grains. Spaced‐plant studies showed that the earing capacity of healthy and infected seedlings differed. The number of smutted ears per infected plant was less than the number of ears per healthy plant and the proportion of smutted ears decreased as the total number of ears of an infected plant increased. It is concluded that the differences in the proportion of smutted ears at different centres could be the result of competition for establishment between healthy and infected seedlings or be due to the differential tillering capacity of the two kinds of plants.