The Journal of Indian Botany/Volume 3/May 1922/Smut (Ustilago Paradoxa Syd. and Butl.) on Sawn (Panicum Frumentaceum Roxb.)

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SMUT (USTILAGO PARAD0XA Syd. and Butl.) ON SAWN (PANICUM FRUMENTACEUM Roxb.)

BY

G. S. Kulkarni, M.A.G.,

Assistant Professor of Mycology, Agricultural College, Poona.

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The discovery of this smut, in 1919, on ‘Sawn or Banti so far as the writer is aware is the first record of its occurrence in the Bombay Presidency. It was collected by the writer in Sind where he noticed it occurring quite commonly and at certain places doing great damage. It has not been found in the Presidency proper Outside the Presidency it has been recorded only from Pusa Butler* gives a. short description of this smut in his book. The specimen agrees in every respect with his description. The attack of the ungus is confined to the ears in the plants. The sori which are round and hairy are developed in the ovary and are a little hif b. g ge, thee the non*! grata. The hard eostog o“the “

rapture liberates black powdery spores which are round or oval and measure from 7 to 10 V* in diamef-m- . 1 and

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eoltaon (tomato broth) the anther has »o&ed the germtat ‘on bv forming a promycelium and sporidia which bud f, JI TT , by abundant secondary sporidia. BoaJ^Z^r? ^ for this smut since its life-history is unknown. The Author

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the spore, on the seed. The seed was

Butler E. J., Fungi and Disease in Plants, page 239 . The plants were raised to maturity with the results shown below :—

The results of these experiments show that infection of the plant takes place in its seedling stage with the seed-borne spores and if can be prevented by steeping the seed for 10‘minutes in 2 per cent. copper sulphate solution.