Beb. 17, 1923 , 
Parasitic Fungi Internal of Seed Corn 
507 
Table I.— Survey by States of parasitic fungi internal of seed com 
State. 
Number 
of 
samples. 
Number 
of ker¬ 
nels cul¬ 
tured. 
Del. 
219 
3,28s 
Ark. 
IS 
i 22 5 
Conn. 
12 
180 
Ill. 
2 5 
375 
Ind. 
17 
255 
Ky. ; 
34 
5io 
Kans. 
12 
. 180 
La. 
1 
15 
Mass. 
5 
75 
Md. 
10 
150 
Minn. 
10 
150 
Miss. 
16 
240 
Nebr. 
14 
215 
N. C. 
10 
* 5 ° 
N. Dak. 
25 
375 
N.J. 
10 
i 5 ° 
N. Y. 
6 
90 
Ohio. 
11 
165 
Pa. 
14 
210 
Tex. 
7 
105 
Wis. 
7 
105 
Cephalo¬ 
Gibber¬ 
sporium 
ella sau¬ 
sacchari. 
binetii. 
Per cent. 
Per cent. 
39 - 54 
5 - 95 
22. 00 
i- 33 
16. 66 
25-83 
2. 00 
4. 70 
4. 70 
3. 82 
4. 11 
11. 66 
12. 00 
46. 00 
7. 00 
10. 00 
12. 00 
38 -13 
22. 85 
38.00 
2. 00 
24. 00 
21. 00 
3 * 33 
10. 90 
22. 72 
5 - 7 i 
7. 87 
14. 28 
20. 00 
2.85 
Fusa¬ 
rium 
monili¬ 
forme. 
Diplodia 
zeae. 
Per cent. 
Per cent. 
19. 92 
5-69 
35 - 33 
3 - 33 
41. 66 
12. 40 
7. 20 ' 
17. 94 
4 - 85 
30. 00 
80. 00 
10. 00 
8. 00 
12. 00 
14. 00 
43.00 
40. 00 
3. 12 
20. 00 
1. 42 
48. 00 
.40 
. 80 
17. 00 
2. 00 
1. 82 
12. 73 
71. 42 
2. 85 
10.85 
Germination. 
Strong. 
Weak. 
Dead. 
Per cent. 
Per cent. 
Per cent . 
86.35 
9-56 
4. 09 
66. 00 
26.66 
7 * 34 
84. 16 
14. 16 
1. 68 
82. 80 
16. OO 
I. 20 
96. 44 
3 - 56 
59 - 70 
15-59 
24.7I 
88.33 
100. 00 
85. 00 
II. 67 
6. 00 
9. OO 
65.00 
35 - 00 
8. 00 
37.00 
55 *oo 
74.37 
25.00 
•63 
85.71 
4. 28 
10. 01 
86. 00 
14. 00 
85. 60 
1. 20 
13. 20 
79. 00 
21. 00 
96. 67 
3 * 33 
49.09 
50.91 
6. 86 
89* 57 
3 * 57 
21. 42 
78.58 
97 * J 4 
2. 86 
Of the several parasitic fungi carrying internal of seed corn in Dela¬ 
ware Cephalosporium sacchari is most prevalent, occurring in the several 
thousand kernels cultured to the extent of 39.54 per cent. This fungus 
is frequently found associated in the same kernel with the other parasitic 
fungi Fusarium moniliforme , Gibberella saubinetii , and Diplodia zeae . 
Fusarium moniliforme as an internal parasite is found to the extent of 
19.92 per cent in seed corn in Delaware. Its latitude or range of infec¬ 
tion is the same as that of Cephalosporium sacchari , and frequently both 
are found occupying the same kernels. The fact that C. sacchari and 
F. moniliforme fruit abundantly both internally and externally of seed 
com would indicate that surface contamination must be very common. 
Gibberella saubinetii is much less common as an internal parasite of 
corn in Delaware and throughout the United States than either Cephalo¬ 
sporium sacchari or Fusarium moniliforme. In Delaware 5.95 per cent 
of the kernels cultured gave this fungus. The fact that G. saubinetii 
fruits more sparingly as an ear rot and kernel infection of com and pro¬ 
duces no chlamydospores would indicate that as a seed-carrying organism 
its possibility of distribution is much more limited than that of either C. 
sacchari or Fusarium moniliforme. Its prevalence seems to vary greatly 
in the several districts. 
Diplodia zeae like the other parasites considered above may be internal 
of seed corn that appears entirely healthy. Its prevalence in Delaware 
seed corn for 1920 was 5.69 per cent. As a parasite its range of activity, 
judging from internal infection, is identical with that of Cephalosporium 
sacchari and Fusarium moniliforme —probably not quite so great in the 
Gulf States as in the Central States. 
