Both diseases result in lightweight, shriveled kernels that may be moldy. Producers should follow the recommendations listed below for proper seed cleaning and planting to reduce seedling blight and stand losses resulting from planting diseased seed. The two smut diseases, stinking smut and loose smut, can be particularly devastating. Stinking smut causes losses by giving the seed of diseased plants a foul, fishy odor, making the grain unfit for milling. Producers have been docked severely when attempting to sell smutty grain.
Loose smut affects plants and yield by converting the grain and parts of the head to smut spores.
Therefore, infected plants have no grain left to harvest. There are no varieties resistant to stinking smut, and numerous races of the loose smut fungus exist. Do not use seed from severe smut infested fields. Clean seed thoroughly to remove all shriveled, lightweight kernels. This may require raising the test weight of the grain by several pounds per bushel.