Tilletia foetida. [Descriptions of Fungi and Bacteria].

A description is provided for Tilletia foetida. Information is included on the disease caused by the organism, its transmission, geographical distribution, and hosts. HOSTS: On Triticum, Secale, Triticale, Hordeum, Agropyron, Elymus, Sitanion, Lolium. DISEASE: Causes common bunt (stinking or covered smut) of wheat. Tilletia caries (CMI Descriptions 719) causes a virtually identical disease known by the same name. The seed contents inside the pericarp are converted to a mass of teliospores and the seed converted into a 'bunt ball' which ruptures on harvesting, releasing the black spores and the volatile compound trimethylamine which has a foul, fishy odour. Diseased plants are somewhat stunted and the heads of infected plants remain greener than those containing healthy grain and are more slender; the glumes of diseased spikelets are also spread apart. GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: Widely distributed in most countries where wheat is grown but less widespread than T. caries and not apparently in UK (CMI Map 295, ed. 2, 1968). TRANSMISSION: Spores are released when the grain is harvested and are dispersed by air to contaminate healthy grain and soil. Spores germinate in moist soil to produce a basidium and acicular basidiospores (primary sporidia). These fuse to produce a dikaryotic mycelium which may directly infect host seedling coleoptiles or produce further secondary sporidia.