Evening journal., 1904-03-11
FOR THE FARMER
NO REMEDY FOR
CORN BLIGHT
Delaware College Agricul
tural Station Makes Some
Suggestions, However
INTERESTING PAPERY BHu OIL CMTS

The Delaware College Agricultural Ex-
pertinent station has issued an interest
ing bulletin on fungus diseases IN Della
ware. The articles are from the pen Of
+. ID. Chester and c. O. Smith. The latter
writing on THE Blight OF Corn" says:
During the months Of August and Sep
tember, 1908, frequent complaints were re-
celyed at the Experiment Station OF dis
ease attacking corn, causing the leaves
/ 70 blight. One field of about twenty acres
near the station was stunted and cared
very poorly. other fields were more or
less Injured. The disease seemed to be al
most entirely confined to late planted
corn, that which was planted as Sec
ond crop.
The disease is caused by a parasitic fun
gus, Helminthosporium inconspicuum G..
q Ell. which makes its appearance on
the leaves as a greenish mod visible IN
mass TO the naked eye. This growth is
found on discolored elongated spots, their
width being often limited by the veins Of
the leaf. This is no new trouble. but ap-
pears TO have done more than the usual
amount OF injury IN Delaware during the
past season. The New York ana Connocti-
cut Experiment STATIONS have given brief
accounts of the disease. Quite a similar
trouble has been described as occurring in
Europe and America on corn seedlings
as well as on the mature plants. The
blight causes on corn leaves long dead or
ye.lowish colored spots, upon which the
dark colored spores OF the fungus are pro-
duced
The spores are quite large and are borne
on pedlcels, sporophores which appear
like so many hairs when magnined with
an ordinary hand lens. After a time the
entire leaf Is so affected that 81 dies al
though often only the tips are diseased.
The general appearance of a diseased field
resembles very much one that has been
frost bitten.
The fungus occurs early in the growing
season, July and August but thus far II
has never been reported as iniurlng corr
seedlings. This disease has the power OF
killing the partially matured plant. This
means shorter growth and immatur,
stalks. 1t not only causes less amount Of
fodder, but II intended for ensliage the
corn is likely TO die before the farmer
would think Of cutting IT, so he has doa5
II the corn is intended to produce ears thi
disease so weahens the vitality Of th,
plant as to prevent proper maturing OF th,
crop.
Spores and sporesermination.
, The spores Of this fungus when magul
fed properly would appear as long dar
colored bodies made up OF different parts
or cells separated from one another b.
partition wals'or septa. The spores undc
proper conditions will germinate al elthe
or both ends. This new thread like growil
the germ tube, branches. II on a corr
leaf IT pene,rates through the plant tissu,
and fungus threads continue their growtl
and branching in the interior OF the corr
leaf. This at length kills the leaf. and
fresh crop of spores is produced that vii
In turn infect other leaves.
Infection of Corn Seedlings.
Artificial dlution cultures OF the fungu
were made in the laboratory and pure cuI
lures obtained. In a few weeks these ha,
produced an abundant quantity OF spore
which were used in inoculatng corn seed
lings. The plants were sprayed on threl
successive days with distilled water il
which the spores Of the fungus werl
placed. The spraying was done with al
ordinary atomizer. After each spraying
the plants were kept in a moist chambe
so as to give the spores the most favor
! able conditions for termination. In a fev
days the plants were ready TO take ou
from under the bell-jars. and then wer
grown under normal conditions.
IN about a week the disease appeared
, producing small yellowish round or clip
teal spots. These became paler and semi
: transparent They soon coalesced an,
thus formed long discolored areas, cause,
by the death Of the plant tissue. spore
next appeared. After a time the leave
had darkish. burnt appearance.
, In many respects this disease resemble
, fungous trouble Helminthosporiuu
turcicum) that has been found destruc
tive to maize in Europe. The European
{ trouble attacks seedlings e0-SO inches higl
I as well as mature plants. I am not abb
2 to say whether our disease does This o
y not No difficulty however, was experi
= enced in growing the disease on corn seed
= lings, and the general characteristics @
= the spot on young plants in both oases ar
p very iimilar. The two diseasc~ are quit
p likely the same. The two scientific des
:, cripdons are quite similar. both Of III
disease ana Of the fungus Itself.
The disease occurs at such an advance
z s,ags in the growth Of the corn that a
: present no remedy seems practical. In al
probability the spores would live afte
:, passing through the alimentary canal q
Z an animal and so spread the trouble IN
. following year. 1t seems advisable, n th
- corn was>d'seased the previous year nc
to use manure made from it on land IN
o tended for corn. A rotation Of crop is ais
= advised.
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