Disease cycle Figure 11-104 Corn smut can overseason as teliospores on soil but the other loose smuts overseason as mycelium in the embryo of living seeds These fungi grow with the plant after germination and actually stimulate the plant to grow better through hormonal action. The smutted heads then release spores to infect healthy seed heads. No basidiospores are produced per se. Instead the teliospores from a basidium which germinates to form primary mycelium which fuses and then can infect the ovary or embryo of the seed. Control is by seed certification and by treating seed with fungicides such as carboxin which is systemic to get the hyaline mycelium in the young plant.
Some resistance is available but susceptibility is still widespread.
Use certified seed. Hot water treatment use to be used and this is OK some phytotoxicity. Bunt causes stunting of plants and replaces the endosperm of grain with bunt balls. These are usually called primary sporidia. Infection can be from the soil or form contaminated seeds.