Skip to main content
ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Forage Seed and Cereal Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #221856
Title: Update on occurrence of stripe smut and bunt in grasses grown for seed

Author
item Alderman, Stephen
item OCAMB, CINDY - OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
item MELLBYE, MARK - OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
item SEDEGUI, S - OREGON DEPT OF AG

Submitted to: Seed Production Research at Oregon State University
Publication Type: Experiment Station
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/31/2007
Publication Date: 4/30/2007
Citation: Alderman, S.C., Ocamb, C.M., Mellbye, M.E., Sedegui, S.M. 2007. Update on occurrence of stripe smut and bunt in grasses grown for seed. Seed Production Research at Oregon State University. Department of Crop & Soil Science Ext/CrS P 50.

Interpretive Summary: Stripe smut is a potentially important disease of grasses grown for turf or seed. Field surveys were conducted during 2004-2006 to determine the potential increase of stripe smut in orchard grass seed production fields in Oregon. During the 3 year study period we found stripe smut present in about a third of the fields, with severity as high as 11% infected plants, but varying from year to year, with no trend of increasing disease severity within infested fields.

Technical Abstract: In disease surveys of orchard grass fields in western Oregon, stripe smut, caused by Ustilago striiformis, was detected in about a third of the orchard grass fields in 2004 and 2005, but less than 10% of the fields in 2006. Stripe smut was found in one field of bentgrass, but not in chewings fescue, red fescue, perennial ryegrass, or tall fescue. In 2005, we found several fields of chewings fescue with a low level of bunt, caused by a species of Tilletia that has not yet been characterized and named. In 2006, we found bunt in only one field of chewings fescue. The yearly variation in the incidence and severity of smut is presumed to be the result of environmental conditions favorable for survival of infected plants during the typically dry summers or conditions during the typically wet springs favorable for infection.