As they expand, the center often becomes tan. Affected leaves and tillers turn yellow if the disease progresses slowly. If the variety is susceptible to the melting out phase, the lawn may quickly turn bluish green and then tan, as though suffering from a drought. Cool, wet weather this spring has have favored disease development. Stripe Smut .
Affected leaves turn yellow or sometimes directly become a dried, tan color.
Affected leaves become shredded along these smut sori. The mild weather during much of last fall and early winter coupled with a cool spring have favored disease development. Variety and Species Selection . Varietal susceptibility is by far the major factor determining the severity of either disease. The number one control measure for both diseases is to renovate lawns to a resistant variety or species, if practical.