10 Mar., 1919.] Green Manuriul Crops and " Take All." 171 



GREEN MANURIAL CROPS AND "TAKE ALL." 



Ophioboh(s (jraminis (Sacc), 



Charles C. ]irittlebanl\ Plant Pathologist. 



During t*he past season tlie disease " Take all " or " White-lieads," 

 Ophioholus graminis, Sacc., lias developed to a more or less serious 

 extent in all tlie green manurial plots at the State Researeli Farm, 

 Werribec. 



For u number of years (1913-18) wheat has been used every alter- 

 nate year in rotation wit)li various green manurial crops. On one 

 half of the plots the green crops have been ploughed in, and on the 

 other half they have been fed off. In each series of plots one section 

 is given up to bare fallow and wheat every other year. During 1918 the 

 plots sown with wheat developed " Take all " badly. 



All attempt has been made to ascertain the effect of the various 

 green crops upon the percentage of disease present. It should, how- 

 ever, be clearly understood that the results obtained relate to one season 

 •only, and will possibly be far from the aetuaj results when the investi- 

 gations are carried over a series of years. 



What is "Take all." 



Some years ago there was some doubt as to the cause of " Take all," 

 but this was cleared up by Mr. D. Me Alpine in Bulletin I^o. 9, " Take 

 all and white-he-ads in "VVlieat," issued by the Department of Agricul- 

 ture, Victoria. In this Bulletin it is clearly shown that the cause is due 

 "to the fungus, Ophioholus graminis, Sacc. Of all fungus diseases affect- 

 ing wheat " Take all" is the most destnictive, and the actual loss caused 

 by it is far greater than hy any other single disease, Rust included, or 

 perhaps by a combination of all known fungus diseases affecting wheat 

 in Victoria. 



Rust when present in epidemic form causes more widespread loss 

 for the one season, but fortunately it appears only once in a series of 

 years, while " Take all " is always with us, destroying a few plants here, 

 thousands thei'e, and nearly the entire crop in other jdaces. 



Possible Coivditions favouring " Take all." 



As TO conditions favorable to the disease or its control very little 

 is known. In fact, it is not known whether the fungus favours an acid 

 or an alkaline soil, or one rich in organic matter. 



In regard to the alkalinity of the soil, some very suggestive facts 

 have been recorded from the Permanent Test Plots, at the Research 

 Farm, Werribee. These plots are twenty in number, and four of them 

 have been dressed with lime in combination with other fertilizers every 

 alternate year since 1913. In each and every plot Avhere lime has been 

 used " Take all " is present to a far greater extent than in any of the 

 •others. The manurial treatment of the four plots to which lime was 



