The Karnal bunt was found in certified durum wheat seed of the variety known as Reva produced in the state in 1995. Emergency quarantines has been issued to restrict the movement of seed, machinery, and soil from farms where the infected seed has been planted. Karnal bunt, or partial bunt, is a fungal disease of wheat, durum wheat, and triticale, a hybrid of wheat and rye. Typically, only a portion of the kernel is affected. This is why the disease is sometimes called partial bunt.
Infected plants produce less grain, and the quality of the grain itself is lessened.
The fungal disease was detected at a seed dealership this week in southwestern Arizona by the Arizona Department of Agriculture. Authorities believe that this is a very localized find. The Karnal bunt was found in certified durum wheat seed of the variety known as Reva produced in the state in 1995. Emergency quarantines has been issued to restrict the movement of seed, machinery, and soil from farms where the infected seed has been planted. State and federal quarantines will be placed to augment this emergency action.