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Bunt, or stinking
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Causal organism - Ustilago nuda f.sp. tritici
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The spores which are released from the affected ears of infected plants are carried by the wind to the open flowers of surrounding healthy plants. There they germinate and the fungus grows into the developing grain site . Weather conditions during flowering affect the length of time that the florets remain open and hence the time that the plant is susceptible to infection. Thus, the likely level of infection varies considerably from season to season. The fungus lies dormant within the embryo of the seed until the seeds are sown and germinate. When the infected seed germinates the fungus grows within the developing shoot, eventually reaching the ear primordia . The fungus develops within the young ear, eventually replacing spikelets with masses of fungal spores which are released once again as the ear emerges.
