222 HELMINTHOSPORIUM SPP. ON CEREALS AND SUGARCANE IN INDIA 
THE SYMPTOMS OF THE DISEASE. 
The common terms applied to this disease are “ blight of maize,” “ blight 
of corn” and “leaf spots.” Ducomet! has suggested the name of “ brulure ” 
for the disease on account of the peculiar browning burnt condition of the 
leaves. Maize blight, however, seems to be the most fitting term for the 
disease. 
The disease makes its appearance, when the plant is quite young, in the 
form of small yellowish spots which rapidly increase in size and take on a pale 
brown colour. In the beginning, the infected area on the leaf is minute, 
roundish, and pale brown, and gradually increases in size becoming somewhat 
oval, the long axis of the spots being parallel to the vein. They may coalesce 
covering a large surface of the leaf. These spots, the breadth of which is often 
limited by leaf veins, later on, become somewhat translucent and to the naked 
eye appear like a greyish green mould on account of the conidia and conidio- 
phores. Conidiophores and conidia are found all over the spot on both sides 
of the leaf but in a greater number in the central atrophied portion of the 
diseased area. The spots, later on, become dry and brittle and the young 
leaves are easily killed (Plate I, fig. 1). 
In the male inflorescence the disease assumes a blackish mould-like 
appearance on the surface of the glumes of male spikelets. The attack is not 
extensive and scattered spikelets here and there are infected (Plate I, fig. 2). 
The mycelium ramifies within the tissues of the palea and the stamens. 
ETIOLOGY OF THE DISEASE. 
The constant association of the fungus with the disease leaves little doubt 
that H. turcicum is the cause of maize blight. Healthy plants. when inoculated, 
develop the disease and produce typical spores which resemble those from the 
field. 
Leaves of maize were inoculated several times with pure culture obtained 
from diseased maize leaves, and it was found that the fungus had penetrated 
the tissues and formed spots as in nature. In some cases the infection took 
place within 24 hours. The plants inoculated and the controls were kept 
covered either with bell-jars or in moist glass chambers. It was observed that 
infection was rapid and vigorous on young plants and on lower leaves of 
mature plants. Inoculations were also made on the male inflorescence and 
it was noticed that all spikelets inoculated had been infected and infection had 
spread also on the neighbouring spikelets. 
1Ducomet, V. “‘ The Browniny of Maize in France. ” Jour. Agri. Prat. N. Ser., 5 (1903), 
no. 16, pp. 507 11. Only abstrach seem in (Hxpt. St. Rec. of U.S. A.) 
