The Ohio Naturalist. 
[Vol. II, No. 6, 
*5S 
SMUT INFECTION EXPERIMENTS. 
W. A. Keu.erman and O. E. Jennings. 
Experiments were undertaken during the summer of 1901 to 
test the comparative susceptibility of maize (dent corn, pop 
corn, and sweet corn) and sorghum (Saccharine sorghum, Kaffir 
corn, and broom corn) to the same species of smut found on 
different hosts. Both the sorghum seed-smut (Cintractia sorghi) 
and the head-smut (Cintractia reiliana) were used. 
Three rows each of dent corn, pop corn, sweet corn, Kaffir 
corn, sorghum and broom corn were planted. One row of each 
set of three was planted with untreated seed as a check row. 
Another row of each set was planted with seed rolled wet in sor- 
ghum head-smut (Cintractia reiliana) obtained from sorghum. 
The remaining row of each set was planted with seed rolled in 
the same species of smut obtained from maize. 
In the same manner Kaffir corn, sorghum and broom corn were 
used, being treated with the sorghum head-smut (Cintractia sorghi) 
grown on the two hosts sorghum and broom corn. 
Thorough precautions were taken in treating the seed and 
interesting results were expected. Unfortunately severe drouth 
and abundant chinch-bugs blasted hopes and experiments alike. 
Only one specimen of Cintractia reiliana was obtained, namely, 
on pop corn. So few stalks infected with Cintractia sorghi were 
obtained that no conclusions can be drawn. Experiments along 
these lines are now being carried on in the botanical greenhouse 
from which some satisfactory results are being obtained and 
which will be reported later. 
A few stalks of sorghum artificially infected two to three years 
ago, and still growing, continuously produce infected panicles. 
An illustration of one of the specimens planted January 1st, 
1899, is here given. This illustrates the fact that infection takes 
place through the seed, first shown in 1891.* It also demon- 
strates that the mycelium, permeating throughout the entire 
plant, is perennial or at least is coexistent in duration with the 
host — the latter grown as an annual in our climate, but when 
protected, as has been the greenhouse specimen, it may continue 
to live a long while. 
The other experiments, which are enumerated below, relate to 
corn smut (Ustilago zeae); the primary object being to determine 
the effect of mutilation of the host upon the prevalency of the 
smut. Work of this kind has been reported by Hitchcock, f 
ClintonJ and others. 
* Kellerman. W, A Bulletin Kans. Exp. Sta. No. 23. 
f Bot. Gaz. 28. 429. 1899. 
J 111 . Exp. Sta. Bull 57. March. 1S00. 
