Cereals: Ergot

Excerpt from Agronomy Guide for Field Crops (Chapter 6)

Order OMAFRA Publication 811: Agronomy Guide for Field Crop

Table of Contents

1. Incidence
2. Appearance
3. Disease Cycle
4. Management Strategies
5. Updates on Cereals: Ergot
6. Related links...

Incidence

Ergot occurs from time to time on barley, wheat and triticale. Although yield loss in most cases is insignificant, the impact of the disease on grain quality and marketability can be significant since ergot bodies are toxic to livestock and humans. Exercise caution in feeding grain containing the black ergot bodies to livestock, especially swine. Outbreaks in Ontario are infrequent and sporadic, but ergot can be severe in some fields that have been damaged by frost, herbicide, etc., that resulted in sterile heads. Sterile florets tend to remain open and thus more prone to infection.

Appearance

The first sign of this fungal disease is often the brown-to-purplish-black sclerotia ("ergot bodies") protruding from the spikelets of the head. These ergot bodies replace the kernels and can be up to 1 cm in length.

Disease Cycle

The fungus survives the winter as sclerotia in the soil and on seed. From here, spores are released that infect the florets and with the aid of insects are transferred to other spikes. Rainy, wet and cool weather that prolongs flowering increases the likelihood of infection. Ergot "sclerotia" are well adapted and can survive for many years in the soil.

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Management Strategies

Use clean seed and do not plant seed containing ergots. Allow a minimum of 1 year between other susceptible crops (rye, wheat, barley, triticale).

Updates on Cereals: Ergot

No updates available at this time.

Related links...

• Diseases
• Cereals
• Field Crop Protection Guide - Publication 812

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