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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Forage Seed and Cereal Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #184238
Title: OCCURRENCE OF STRIPE SMUT IN GRASS SEED PRODUCTION FIELDS IN THE WILLAMETTE VALLEY DURING 2004

Author
item Alderman, Stephen
item OCAMB, C - OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
item MELLBYE, M - OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
item GINGRICH, G - OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
item SEDEGUI, S - OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: Seed Production Research at Oregon State University
Publication Type: Experiment Station
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/28/2005
Publication Date: 4/30/2005
Citation: Alderman, S.C., Ocamb, C.M., Mellbye, M., Gingrich, G., Sedegui, S. 2005. Occurrence of stripe smut in grass seed production fields in the willamette valley during 2004. Seed Production Research at Oregon State University.

Interpretive Summary: In a disease survey of orchardgrass seed production fields in Oregon during 2003, stripe smut was detected. In 2004, a survey for smut in orchardgrass, perennial ryegrass, tall fescue, fine fescue, and bentgrass was initiated to determine the extent of the occurrence of smut among seed production fields. Stripe smut was found in 31 % of orchardgrass fields, at levels of 1 to 8%, and this appears to be a newly emerged disease problem for orchardgrass; smut was not found in the other grasses.

Technical Abstract: In 2004, a survey for smut in orchardgrass, perennial ryegrass, tall fescue, fine fescue, and bentgrass was initiated. In each field, 10 1-meter row lengths were examined along each of 4 transects in a diamond pattern. At each site the number of smutted plants were counted. At one site along each transect the total number of plants per meter were counted. Plants suspected to be infected with smut were placed in paper bags and returned to the lab for microscopic examination to verify presence of U. striiformis (the causal agent of stripe smut). Smut was detected in 16 of 51 orchardgrass fields examined (Table 1). Among the fields with smut, two fields had 11% to 12% plants with smut, 6 fields had 1% to 8%, and the remaining fields had less than 1% plants with smut. Smut was not detected in tall fescue, perennial ryegrass, chewings fescue or bentgrass. However, a head smut was found on velvetgrass (Holcus mollis, and Holcus lanatas) in bentgrass fields and this may be a source of smut contamination of grass seed during harvest.