776 
Journal of Agricultural Research voi. xxiil no. i© 
Table III .—Comparison of tillering in healthy wheat plants and those affected by the 
rosette disease of wheat 
Variety. 
Locality. 
Date of observa¬ 
tions. 
Total 
number 
of plants 
counted. 
Average number 
tillers per plant. 
Diseased. 
Healthy. 
Harvest Queen (Sal¬ 
zer’s Prize-taker) k 
Madison Co., Ill.. 
Apr. 7,1920 
48 
IO. O 
4-5 
Harvest Queen 
(white-chaffed Red 
Cross). 1 
Porter Co., Ind... 
j 
May 7,1921 
54 
9.2 
3-3 
1 Local names: The white-chaffed Red Cross and the so-called Salzer’s Prize-taker are considered to be 
the same variety grown locally under the different names. The preferred varietal name for these is Harvest 
Queen. The name ‘ ‘Salzer’s Prize-taker ’ ’ as used in this paper refers to the variety with white chaff and red 
kernels grown under the this name in southern Illinois. The original or true Salzer’s Prize-taker is a variety 
with red chaff and white kernels. (See p. 794*) 
At the time these spring tiller proliferations become pronounced the 
basal tissues of the fall tillers begin to take on a dull white to straw color, 
and in the course of another week or io days this tissue may start to 
turn brown and the whole base of the plant may become rotted (PI. i, C). 
This last condition seems to vary considerably in different localities 
under different conditions. In the vicinity of Granite City, Ill., this 
rotting is apparently much more prevalent than it is near Valparaiso, Ind. 
Microscopic examinations 10 of the innermost tissues at the bases of 
stunted tillers of plants showing the early symptoms of the rosette 
disease have revealed the presence of yellowish brown necrotic areas 
located within the parenchymatous region. These necrotic areas seem to 
be similar to those found in the stems of corn plants and in sugar-cane 
plants affected by mosaic, as reported by Kuhkel (iff) and Matz (24) f 
respectively. Examinations of the host cells in and adjacent to the 
necrotic areas frequently show intracellular bodies very similar to those 
found in tobacco, sugar cane, and com plants affected by mosaic, as de¬ 
scribed by Iwanowski (zz), Matz (24), and Kunkel (iff)- These bodies 
are also very similar to those described and figured by Lyon (if) in con¬ 
nection with the Fiji disease of sugar cane. 
Root systems of plants in the early stages of the disease do not show 
external signs of infection or other injury consistently. In some cases 
lesions have been found on roots, but fully as many have been found on 
the roots of plants not showing the symptoms of the rosette disease. As 
the disease progresses the root systems of affected plants show a retarded 
development and become infected to some extent by various organisms. 
In dry situations diseased plants do not tend to send up secondary 
spring tillers, and such plants usually die early, forming a drooping tuft 
of brown, dead leaves and tillers (PI. 3, B). During periods of heavy 
rain in the spring, diseased plants may be washed and beaten out of the 
soil, leaving the ground bare between healthy plants. In situations of 
favorable moisture and high fertility diseased plants often recover. 
While the fall tillers of such plants usually are killed, the secondary 
tillers may develop into short culms (PI. 4, B) and produce heads. Such 
heads usually are small and imperfectly filled (PI. 4, A). 
10 Much of the microscopic work done in connection with this phase was carried on by Dr. Sophia Eckerson 
and Dr. R. W. Webb. A full account of this work will be published in a future paper. 
