WHEAT CULTURE. 



349 



follow barley, where the disease lias been in eviiienee. l'.are fallowing in 



which the fallows are kept' clean of weeds like barley grass helps to keep 

 down the fungus. Early fallow U regarded as particularly beneficial. 



Rotations which have been suggested include: — 



1. Wheat badly attacked by Take-all. 



2. Early and well prepared fallow. 



3. Oats. 



4. Early fallow. 



5. Wheat* 



Or modified as follows: — 



1. Wheat badly attacked by Take-all. 



2. Early fallow. 

 '.'>. Oats (grazed). 



4. Oats (sown on stubble land for reaping). 



5. Fallow, 

 b". Wheat, 



Avoid ploughing througb Take-all patches when the land is in a very dry 

 and dusty state, as this apparently helps to disseminate the infection more 

 widely. Some authorities consider that late fallowing is worse than nut 

 fallowing at all. The reason apparently is that late fallowing only serves to 

 distribute the spores of the fungus which are present on the stubble and on 

 the grasses of stubble land, and does not provide an adequate programme for 

 starving the fungus out. 



At all times keep land clear of the grasses on which the fungus can grow. 



Foot Rot {Hrlminthosjwriiim sativum, var.). 



This disease is known to attack barley, rye, and a large number of grasses, 

 e.g., barley grass (Hordeum murinum), Brome grass (Bnmius inermis) and 

 spear grass, as well as wheat. 



The disease, which has been styled Foot Rot, and which is distinguishable 

 from Take-all (Ophiobolus graminls), is rarely noticed by the farmer in the 

 early stages of his crop. Though a careful examination of the butts and tht 



A B 



Fig 16.— The effects of Foot Rot. 



A. — Pinched gra n from diseased plants. B. — Plump jrriin for comparison. 



