132 Kayisas Academy of Science. 



THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS FUNGUS IN KANSAS. 



It is difficult to state of what economic importance this disease will 

 prove to be in Kansas. In some of the southeastern states it is causing 

 considerable damage. The important factors involved, as far as this 

 state is concerned, are, that Physoderma occurs in Kansas, and indica- 

 tions are that it can live over as far north as this region. Further in- 

 vestigations of this disease in the state will be made. 



In our scheme of classification, this fungus is placed in the order, 

 Chytridiales ; sub-order, Mycochytridiinese; family, Cladochytriacese, 

 along with such genera as Urophlyctis, Cladochytrium, etc. 

 Class. Archemycetse. 

 Ord. Chytridiales. 



Sub. ord. Mycochytridiinese. 

 Fam. CladochytHacese. 

 Genus. Physoderina. 

 Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Agricultural Experiment Station, 

 Manhattan. 



Plant Disease Report for Kansas, 1917. 



L. E. Melchers, Plant Pathologist, Kansas State Agricultural College, Manhattan. 

 CEREAL DISEASES. 



Bunt of Wheat. Tilletia fcetens B. & C. Among the wheat diseases 

 occurring in 1917, bunt was given more attention than usual. This was 

 made possible in connection with the seed survey situation of the state. 

 The counties where bunt was located in greater or less quantities were 

 Reno, Stafford, Rice, Pratt, Harper, Dickinson, Barber, Norton, Chase, 

 McPherson and Sumner. The majority of fields that showed the presence 

 of bunt contained from two to five per cent, but many showed as high as 

 twenty-five per cent. 



Loose Smut of Wheat. Ustilago tritici (Pers.) Jens. This smut is 

 more commonly and widely distributed over the state than bunt, but 

 always appears in much smaller quantities. Generally from a trace 

 (less than one-fourth per cent) to one and one-half per cent loose smut 

 can be found in the great majority of wheat fields in Kansas. Occa- 

 sionally a field has been found to contain as high as twenty-five per cent 

 infection, but this is rare. 



Black Chaff and Stem Disease of Wheat. Bacterial. The disease 

 here described seems to be causally bacterial, although further work is 

 necessary to prove the entire life history of the disease in question. This 

 disease was given its common name by the writer in 1915. It was under 

 experimentation by the writer in 1914, but the first newspaper article 

 was published in 1915. Since this disease has been under observation, it 

 was the worst in 1915. At that time excessive rains and the humid atmos- 

 phere made it favorable for its maximum development. Apparently this 

 trouble has been most conspicuous in this state, at least as far as the 

 "neck," head and glume infection is concerned. The blackened areas on 

 the "neck" of the wheat plants, together with the spots or stripes of 



