Head Smut
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Symptoms
Head Smut symptoms first appear when ears and tassels are formed. Galls form on the tassels and ears and rarely on the leaves. At first they are covered with a thin layer of tissue that breaks open to expose the black spore masses and threadlike remains of the vascular bundles. Plants also may be severely dwarfed.
Facts
Head smut develops systemically into the ear and tassel. Low soil moisture and temperatures between 70 and 82 F are optimum for infection. Disease is most common in soils with nitrogen deficiencies.
Life Cycle
The fungus overwinters in soil as teliospores and infects the growing point of young seedlings.
Management
Most hybrids grown in the United States are fairly resistant. Rotation will reduce the buildup of inoculum, but some strains of the fungus can infect both corn and sorghum.