''Cephalosporium gramineum''
syn. ''Hymenula cerealis'' is a
plant pathogen that causes cephalosporium stripe of
wheat
Wheat is a grass widely cultivated for its seed, a cereal grain that is a worldwide staple food. The many species of wheat together make up the genus ''Triticum'' ; the most widely grown is common wheat (''T. aestivum''). The archaeologi ...
and other grasses. It was first reported in
Japan in 1930.
The disease can cause yield losses of up to 50% by causing death of tillers and reducing seed production and seed size.
The disease causes broad yellow or brown stripes along the length of the leaf and discolouration of the leaf veins.
The fungus spreads through the soil, and enters the plant through wounds in its
root
In vascular plants, the roots are the organs of a plant that are modified to provide anchorage for the plant and take in water and nutrients into the plant body, which allows plants to grow taller and faster. They are most often below the su ...
s.
Early planting of winter wheat when the soil is warm gives a greater root system more subject to root breakage when the soil heaves affording more infection sites. Phosphate fertilizer and high moisture further exacerbate this condition. The symptoms are caused by the fungus invading the plants'
vascular tissue
Vascular tissue is a complex conducting tissue, formed of more than one cell type, found in vascular plants. The primary components of vascular tissue are the xylem and phloem. These two tissues transport fluid and nutrients internally. The ...
.
The fungus also produces a
toxin
A toxin is a naturally occurring organic poison produced by metabolic activities of living cells or organisms. Toxins occur especially as a protein or conjugated protein. The term toxin was first used by organic chemist Ludwig Brieger (1849 ...
which causes stunting of the plant and interferes with development.
A glucopolysaccharide also appears to inhibit fluid movement in wheat.
[Pool, R.A.F. & Sharp, E.L., Phytopathology:59(11),1763 (1969)]
Very little natural resistance to the disease is seen in wheat. Control measures include
crop rotation
Crop rotation is the practice of growing a series of different types of crops in the same area across a sequence of growing seasons. It reduces reliance on one set of nutrients, pest and weed pressure, and the probability of developing resistant ...
for 2–3 years in areas where the disease has become a particular problem.
Currently, no options exist for controlling the disease through the use of
fungicides.
References
External links
USDA ARS Fungal Database
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cephalosporium Gramineum
Fungal plant pathogens and diseases
Wheat diseases
Ascomycota enigmatic taxa