''Cephalosporium gramineum'' syn. ''Hymenula cerealis'' is a

plant pathogen Plant diseases are diseases in plants caused by pathogens (infectious organisms) and environmental conditions (physiological factors). Organisms that cause infectious disease include fungi, oomycetes, bacteria, viruses, viroids, virus-like orga ...

that causes cephalosporium stripe of

wheat Wheat is a group of wild and crop domestication, domesticated Poaceae, grasses of the genus ''Triticum'' (). They are Agriculture, cultivated for their cereal grains, which are staple foods around the world. Well-known Taxonomy of wheat, whe ...

and other grasses. It was first reported in

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

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 plant organ, 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 bel ...

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 transporting 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. T ...

. The fungus also produces a

toxin A toxin is a naturally occurring poison produced by metabolic activities of living cells or organisms. They occur especially as proteins, often conjugated. The term was first used by organic chemist Ludwig Brieger (1849–1919), derived ...

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 Plant pathology or phytopathology is the scientific study of plant diseases caused by pathogens (infectious organisms) and environmental conditions (physiological factors). Plant pathology involves the study of pathogen identification, disease ...

: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. This practice reduces the reliance of crops on one set of nutrients, pest and weed pressure, along with the pro ...

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

fungicide Fungicides are pesticides used to kill parasitic fungi or their spores. Fungi can cause serious damage in agriculture, resulting in losses of yield and quality. Fungicides are used both in agriculture and to fight fungal infections in animals, ...

References

External links

USDA ARS Fungal Database
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cephalosporium Gramineum Fungal plant pathogens and diseases Wheat diseases Enigmatic Ascomycota taxa Taxa named by Benjamin Matlack Everhart Fungi described in 1894 Fungus species