Questions and

Answers About

Karnal Bunt

OVERVIEW

Q. What is Karnal bunt?

A. Karnal bunt is a minor fungal disease of wheat,

durum wheat, and triticale, a hybrid of wheat and rye.

The disease is spread primarily through the use of

infected seed, and infection occurs during the flowering stage of the host plant. Weather and climatic

conditions, specifically cool and wet weather at the

time of flowering, have a significant influence on disease development.

Q. How does Karnal bunt affect wheat production?

A. Karnal bunt has an insignificant effect on yield.

However, grain quality can be affected at infection

levels greater than 3 percent.

Q. Where was Karnal bunt first discovered?

A. Karnal bunt was first reported in 1931 in

wheat–growing areas near the city of Karnal in the

Indian State of Haryana. Since then, it has been

found in all major wheat–growing States of India, as

well as Pakistan, Iraq, Afghanistan, and South Africa.

The disease has been well established in some

areas in northwestern Mexico since 1982.

Karnal bunt was first confirmed in the United

States in Arizona on March 8, 1996. Soon after that

initial discovery, the fungus was also found in parts of

Texas and California. The U.S. Department of

Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health

Inspection Service (APHIS) regulates the following

areas for Karnal bunt: Riverside County in California;

La Paz, Maricopa, and Pinal counties in Arizona;

Archer, Baylor, Knox, San Saba, Throckmorton, and

Young counties in Texas.

Q. What does Karnal bunt look like?

A. Infection begins at the embryo end of the seed.

Early infection causes a swelling and darkening of

the seed tip. As the infection progresses, the area

along the seed suture darkens. Eventually, in a heavily infected kernel, the seed resembles a canoe or

row boat, dark and sunken along the suture line.

Heavily infested samples of grain may have a foul or

fishy odor. Four other diseases found in the United

States can be mistaken for Karnal bunt: black point,

common bunt, dwarf bunt of wheat, and a bunt of

ryegrass commonly present in wheat fields.

Q. What should growers do if they suspect that

their wheat is infected with Karnal bunt?

A. Growers should contact the nearest State regulatory official or an APHIS Plant Protection and

Quarantine (PPQ) field office to arrange to have an

official sample of their wheat taken and analyzed for

bunted kernels. Any kernels that show signs of contamination should be placed in a plastic bag within a

sturdy container and taken to the nearest State regulatory official or to a PPQ field office. For general

information about this process, or to identify your

local contacts, please call 1–888–661–8083. To

reach a PPQ field office, in States within Karnal buntregulated areas, please call one of the following:

Olney, TX: (940) 564–4192

San Saba, TX: (915) 372–6276

Arizona: (602) 431–8930

California: (323) 881–6512

Q. Who is providing leadership at USDA for the

coordination of Karnal bunt policy issues?

A. In January 2003, Agriculture Secretary Ann

Veneman appointed Marketing and Regulatory

Programs Deputy Under Secretary Dr. Charles

Lambert as USDA’s National Karnal Bunt Policy

Coordinator.

COMPENSATION

Q. Who is eligible for compensation under

USDA’s Karnal bunt compensation package?

A. On August 6, 2001, USDA published a final rule

providing Karnal bunt compensation to certain individuals affected by the disease. Under this rule,

USDA compensated certain growers, handlers, seed

companies, owners of grain storage facilities, flour

millers, and participants in the National Karnal Bunt

Survey who incurred losses and expenses because

of Karnal bunt in 1999–2000 and 2000–2001 crop

seasons. This rule also specified that compensation

will no longer be made available to persons growing

or handling crops that were knowingly planted in previously regulated areas after the 2000–2001 crop

year.

In May 2002, APHIS amended its regulations in

order to compensate certain growers and handlers of

grain and seed affected by Karnal bunt who were not

eligible for compensation under the 2001 rule. This

amended rule also provided compensation for certain

Factsheet

Plant Protection and Quarantine March 2004

APHIS
wheat grown in States not covered by a Declaration of

Extraordinary Emergency commingled with

Karnal–bunt positive wheat while being stored in

Texas.

The level of compensation depends on whether

the grain comes from an area that is newly regulated

for Karnal bunt or an area that has been previously

regulated for the fungus.

Compensation will be made available when a new

outbreak of Karnal bunt is detected after the crop has

already been planted and in instances where an

extraordinary emergency is declared or an emergency

action notification is issued after the crop has already

been planted or at the time it is sold. Producers who

plant wheat in previously regulated areas after the

2000-2001 season will not be compensated.

APHIS must publish regulations in the Federal

Register before offering compensation to farmers.

Once the compensation rate is determined and the

final rule is published, APHIS makes every effort to

ensure affected producers, grain handlers, and seed

companies are compensated as quickly as possible.

SURVEY

Q. What areas of the United States are regulated

for Karnal bunt?

A. Today, APHIS regulates areas in the following

counties: Riverside County in California; La Paz,

Maricopa, and Pinal counties in Arizona; Archer,

Baylor, Knox, San Saba, Throckmorton, and Young

counties in Texas for Karnal bunt.

Q. What happens to crops that test positive for

Karnal bunt?

A. Wheat, grain, straw, or wheat hay that tests positive for Karnal bunt cannot be moved to locations outside the regulated area without APHIS approval. A

limited permit is issued to allow the transport of these

products to an approved facility for treatment or disposal. Treatments include steam flaking and rolling

grain for use as animal feed and composting straw for

use in mushroom production.

If wheat grain, straw, or wheat hay is produced in

a field found free of Karnal bunt, USDA will issue a

certificate allowing the unrestricted movement of

these products.

Q. What is the Karnal Bunt National Survey?

A. APHIS initiated the Karnal Bunt National Survey in

1996. This survey provides data to support the Karnal

bunt–free status of grain exports from the United

States. Grain samples are taken in alternating years

from every county in the United States that produces

1 million bushels or more of wheat. Participation is

voluntary and grain elevators throughout every State

that produces wheat provide the samples. APHIS or

State cooperators collect a 4–pound composite wheat

sample from county elevators after harvest. The samples are then sent to an approved laboratory and tested for bunted kernels. Bunted kernels are conclusive

evidence that a sample is positive for Karnal bunt and

further evaluations are done to assess the need for

any regulatory action.

In 2003, more than 1,300 grain samples from 33

States were collected and tested as part of the

National Karnal Bunt Survey. All results were negative.

REGULATIONS

Q. What is a regulated area?

A. An area that is regulated by USDA for Karnal bunt

is a distinct, definable, commercial wheat production

area that includes at least one field that tested positive for Karnal bunt and the surrounding 3 miles.

USDA restricts movement of certain agricultural products and farm equipment out of these regulated

areas.

USDA tests wheat grown in regulated areas each

year for Karnal bunt.

Q. What items are included in USDA’s regulations?

A. Articles included in USDA’s Karnal bunt regulations

are grain, seed, straw, wheat hay, durum wheat, and

triticale; conveyances (trucks, railcars, and other containers); grain elevators and wheat storage structures;

used bags, sacks, and containers; used farm tools;

and used cultivating, harvesting, seed conditioning,

and soil–moving equipment if used on Karnal bunt

infested crop.

Q. How do growers, handlers, and seed harvesters

arrange to move wheat or other items from the

regulated area?

A. A grain sample must be drawn by an APHIS

inspector or State cooperator at the time of harvest, or

if already harvested, from the storage bins. The sample is then taken to an approved testing facility and

examined for bunted kernels. In order to qualify for a

PPQ certificate, a sample from a previously noninfected field must be found free of bunted kernels. The

grain will then be allowed to be transported without

restrictions to any available market. If the grain sample came from grain already in storage and no bunted

kernels are found, then a PPQ certificate will be

issued for the grain to be transported to any available

outlets. If one or more bunted kernels are found in

the sample, then a PPQ emergency action notice

(EAN) will be issued and the grain sealed in the storage facility prior to approved treatment or shipment to

an approved facility with a limited permit for use as

feed or disposal.
Harvesting and seed conditioning equipment and

grain storage facilities used to process or store wheat

from a positive Karnal bunt field that is moving out of

a regulated area must be thoroughly cleaned to prevent the possible spread of Karnal bunt outside the

regulated area. Seed conditioning equipment used to

condition Karnal bunt positive seed should also be

disinfected. On a case-by-case basis, an APHIS

inspector or State cooperator may require the disinfection of harvesting equipment, storage facilities, and

conveyances used to move Karnal bunt positive

crops.

Disinfection options to clean equipment include

drenching with a bleach solution, steam cleaning,

power washing with a 170–degree–Fahrenheit water

and detergent solution.

Growers, seed handlers, and harvesters should

call their local APHIS office to arrange for an inspector or State cooperator to test their wheat, grain,

straw, and hay for Karnal bunt. Appointments are also

necessary for inspectors to supervise the disinfection

of seed conditioning equipment.

The movement of regulated items outside the regulated area without the proper inspections and treatments could result in fines.

Q. What are compliance agreements, certificates,

and limited permits?

A. A compliance agreement is a written agreement

between APHIS and anyone engaged in growing,

handling, or moving regulated articles in which he or

she agrees to comply with provisions for the movement of all regulated articles. The agreement provides specific requirements that must be met to grow,

handle, or move regulated articles within and to specific locations outside the regulated area.

APHIS issues certificates for movement of regulated articles that have been tested, found to be negative, and certified as having been produced in a specific location known to be free of Karnal bunt. APHIS

also issues certificates for properly cleaned and disinfected equipment. Certificates allow these products to

be moved without restrictions to any destination,

including those outside the regulated areas.

APHIS issues limited permits for regulated articles

that test positive for Karnal bunt or have tested negative but cannot be certified at a field level as having

been produced in an area known to be free of Karnal

bunt (i.e. stored grain). Wheat, grain, straw, and

wheat hay that has tested negative for Karnal bunt

may be moved to any available market inside and outside the regulated area with a certificate. Wheat

grain, straw, and wheat hay that test positive can be

moved to approved treatment locations, inside and

outside the regulated area, with a limited permit. This

movement must be done in accordance with conditions specified on the permit.

ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS

Q. Are there other measures to reduce the risk of

spreading Karnal bunt?

A. Growers are required to have all seed produced

within the regulated area tested for Karnal bunt

spores. Seed that tests negative for Karnal bunt is

approved for planting outside regulated areas.

Following the specific guidelines for cleaning of equipment, feeding livestock, and moving regulated commodities in and around the regulated area will help

reduce the risk of spread.

Q. Does Karnal bunt affect straw and hay?

A. If the grain from a wheat field tests positive for

Karnal bunt, then the straw from the field is also considered to be infected with Karnal bunt. The straw

then becomes a regulated product and must be transported to an approved processing location under a

limited permit issued by APHIS.

Wheat hay can also carry the fungus if kernel formation has proceeded past the dough stage. Hay

that has been harvested from a regulated area prior

to the dough stage can be moved within and outside

the regulated area under a limited permit or certificate. If kernel formation has progressed past the

dough stage, PPQ must inspect the hay and take a

sample of the grain heads to test for Karnal bunt. If a

bunted kernel is found in the grain heads, the hay can

only be fed to livestock within the specified regulated

area under a compliance agreement with APHIS. The

appropriate waiting period must be followed before the

livestock are moved or the hay may be transported to

an approved treatment facility under a PPQ limited

permit.

Q. Where can people get more information about

Karnal bunt and APHIS’ current Karnal bunt regulations?

A. To learn more about Karnal bunt or to report a suspected outbreak, please contact:

USDA-APHIS–PPQ

1–888–661–8083

Pest Detection and Management Programs

4700 River Road, Unit 98

Riverdale, MD 20737–1236

(301) 734–4387

Karnal bunt information is also available on the

APHIS Web site at 

www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/emergencyprograms.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination

in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national

origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to

all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative

means for communication of program information (Braille, large

print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at

(202) 720–2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of

Civil Rights, Room 326–W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence

Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250–9410 or call (202) 720–5964

(voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and

employer.

United States Department of Agriculture • Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service • Safeguarding American Agriculture