Flag smut of wheat

Flag Smut of wheat 

The disesase flag smut of wheat was first deteched in South Australia in 1868. The flag smut of wheat in India was observed in 1918 in the areas now in Pakistan and since then has been reported from punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana.

Symptoms 

1. Disease (Flag must of wheat) appear on leaf blades sheaths stems, as gray black, pastules of sori.
2. The server infection may reduction in plant growth and in no of inflorescence.

Flag smut of wheat

Causal Organism of flag smut of wheat

1. Urocytis tritici
2. The sporedia are form in tinospore ball, brown fertile spore covered by a layer of sterile peripheral cells.
3. Each spore is 18-22 micro in diameter.
4. The spore germinates in situ through promycelium which later produce cylendrical sporidia having a measurements of 12-15 micro into 3-4 micro.

Disease Cycle of flag smut 

1. The disease (flag smut of wheat)  is both soil borne as well as externally seed borne.
2. Infection takes place in selling stage.
3. Infection is systematic.

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Controls of flag smut of wheat 

1. Seed treatment, seed dressing, with copper seed sulphate, copper carbonate is the most efficient method in controlling of flag smut of wheat.
2. Crop rotation, since the disease is soil borne crop rotation for 4-5 year is recommended.
3. Use of resistance variety. Some variety found resistant to flag Smut of wheat disease.