10 Jan., 19 io.] Treatment of Stinking Smut of W/zeat. 55 



THE TREATMENT OF STINKING SMUT OF WHEAT. 



Experiments at Longerenong Agricultural College. 

 D. McAlpine, Vegetable Pathologist. 



In March, 1909, I was requested to give a practical demonstration 

 to the Wimmera farmers on the best methods of treating wheat for the 

 prevention of Stinking smut or Ball-smut as it is frequently cidled. 

 Between 200 and 300 farmers attended at the Longerenong Agricultural 

 College, and I was able from the facilities placed at my disposal by the 

 Principal, Mr. Sinclair, to make up the necessarv solutions and dip the 

 wheat in their presence. 



Bluestone and formalin are the two recognised substances for pickling 

 wheat, and both were used on this occasion. The necessity was impressed 

 on the farmers for having solutions of a definite strength, so that all the 

 grain may be treated equally and with a minimum of risk as to its being 

 injuriously affected in germination. Accordingly, 10 lbs. of bluestone 

 were dissolved in 50 gallons of water, and a similar solution was kept 

 ready in an extra barrel to replenish the dipping solution as it was used 

 up. Half a bag of seed wheat was taken and dipped in the solution for 

 about half a minute, shaking it up well so that every grain was wetted 

 and any floating smut-balls were carefully skimmed off. In this way a 

 large quantity of seed wheat can be treated in a comparatively short time. 



The formalin solution was easilv prepared by taking a i-lb. bottle 

 of the proper strength, as prepared by Cuming, Smith & Co., and adding 

 it to 40 gallons of water, when, after stirring, it is ready for use. A 

 bag was suspended in the solution, fixed to the edge of the barrel by a 

 ring, and the seed wheat was poured in slowly, so that all the smut-balls, 

 light grains, &:c. , rise to the surface and are easily skimmed off. After 

 stirring the grain occasionally and soaking it for ten minutes, the bag 

 was lifted out bv a pulley arrangement and drained. As soon as it is 

 dried it is readv for sowing. 



In order to prove the efficacy of the treatment, plots were laid out 

 of nearly one acre each, on land which was as nearlv as possible equal 

 throughout. During the three preceding years there was fallow, wheaten 

 hay and oats, and the season was a very wet one up to August. Seed 

 wheat of the variety Jade was cho,sen, which had a little smut, with .smut- 

 balls scattered through it. The grain was treated as above with bluestone 

 and formalin respectively on 17th June, and eleven days afterwards it 

 was sown at the rate of 50 lbs. to the acre, together with a similar plot 

 untreated. The plots were criticallv examined on 9th December, with the 

 result that while the untreated plot yielded nearlv i per cent, of ball- 

 smut (.85), that treated with formalin did not show a single smutty grain, 

 and in that treated with bluestone only one diseased plant could be found 

 with a single ear affected. This result is just in keeping with numerous 

 previous experiments. If the seed is treated with a solution of the proper 

 strength, and everv grain wetted, with all the .smut-balls skimmed off and 

 the grain kept in disinfected bags, there is no danger of ball-smut appear- 

 ing in the crop, for it is onlv bv means of seed infection that this smut 

 can be propagated. 



