Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1904-08-06
RUST IN WHEAT.

Prof. n. L. 6oIIey Explains the Nature
Of Rust In Wheat and Tells What Is
Being Done to Fight Its Advance.
Prof. H. L. Bolley of the state agri-
cultural college gives the following in
teresting facts regarding rust in
wheat:
Just now there is much talk about
wheat rust; and the many strange, not
to say, queer statements which one
reads leads me to think that many
people are a little hazy as to what
really causes rust. The cause is as
| we'll known to some as is the common
fact that trees usually grow we'll in
fertile soil where there is a moist,
warm climate. Rust grows from
spores (seeds) and in the absence of
the spores there can be no wheat rust,
regardless of what may be the soil or
climate. The spores, in countless num-
bers, from the red dust masses which
blow from plant to plant The real
rust plant is a parasite and like smut
of wheat grows in the inside of the
straws. The spore masses, rust spots,
on the leaves and straws, break out
about ten to thirteen days after the
first infection. The two distinct spec
les of wheat rust form red spores in
every one of the states south of this
point, all the year around upon some
plants; hence there are always spores
present to infect the wheat to the
north as fast as at reaches the proper
stage for infection, the spores being
carried from field to field by the wind.
Now this is where the weather or
atmosphere comes in. If there is no
moisture in the form of dew or rain
to wet the wheat leaves and stems,
the rust spores cannot sprout; hence
cannot infect the wheat If the
weather is damp and muggy for few
hours just at the proper period of
growth of the crop and of the rust,
there is sure to be large general in
lection. If this general infection
comes early, the crop lis ruined be-
cause the vitality of the attacked
wheat Is soon exhausted by the inter-
nal growth Of the rust fungus and
through rapid loss of water from the
broken places in the epidermis or
skin of the wheat plants. When the
black spores form they rupture the
epidermis Of the straws very badly,
thus allowing the rapid escape of
moisture from straws. People in this
state and Minnesota are doing much
harm to wheat growers, every time
they plant a barberry bush. This
spring, one set Of the spores of the
species of rust which causes so-called
"black" or "stem" rust. Botanists
have definitely determined that this
set of spores which grows upon the
barberry greatly increases the vigor
Of the "stem" rust.
The present season has been splen-
did one to develop the rusty crop, be-
cause of the slow growth, and moist
atmospheric conditions. The wheat
plant, in other words, has had to stay
a long time in the stage of develop
ment I'M which it is most open to in
lection. Unless the first infection Of
a field takes place as early as the bios
som stage rust can do very little harm
to crop. Most people, however, fail
to note this first infection, which is
| usually rather inconspicuous, often &C.
curing on but few plants in some
! part of large area of wheat. The
spores from the first Infection are
carried to other plants from day to
day by the wind and if moisture and
temperature are right, during the next
few days. ten days later the entire
field may be rllsting as If scorched.
We observe that some varieties of
wheat and other grains are more open
to rust attack than others. This gives
us hope that we may succeed in breed
ing up a rust proof strain of fife on
blue stem. The botanical department
of the North Dakota experiment sta
ton has been doing some careful work
upon this line with rather discourag
ing results, but we are just now
doubling our effort and with some
hopes. Good, lasting results along
such agricultural lines come SLOWLY
with many disbursements; but wher
achieved give in return, great value tt
the state. Note for example, thu
great returns from the treatment O