Diseases

Smut of oats

Avena sativa L.

Fungal diseases of oats caused by Ustilago avenae (loose smut) and Ustilago kolleri (covered smut), which infect the plant panicle during the heading stage.

In the reference 31 varieties crop Oat, where this is mentioned in the description.

Loose smut, caused by Ustilago avenae, manifests during heading as the complete destruction of flower parts and the ovary, which are replaced by a powdery mass of spores. Covered or hard smut, caused by Ustilago kolleri, is characterized by a more compact spore mass, which is often covered by the silvery membranes of the remaining glumes.

The pathogens causing oat smut possess pronounced physiological specialization and are represented by a multitude of races, such as 40 or 41, which exhibit varying virulence toward differential cultivars, including Victory, Black Mesdag, and Monarch. In breeding, resistance to these pathogens is often described as a dominant trait, and the selection of cultivars is based on the assessment of their phenotypic resistance, as presented in regional registers of breeding achievements.

General information about the subject — on the page Smut.

Sources8

Varieties of Oat mentioned in the description

Selection based on the description text, not on official evaluation: these data are absent from registers. For specific variety details, please refer to its profile.