The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-07-27
LIFE
HISTORY OF RUST
PROF. ,BOLLEY rs STUDYING BIZ
OGRAPHY OF FUNGUS.
North Dakota Expert Pronounces Three
Colors of Rust Merely Different
Stages Of Same Plant May Find An
other Plant Essential to It's Propaga-
ton. and Therefore to Be Avoided.

G. G. Peterson of the Public Service i
club has returned from North Dakota,
where he had an interesting interview
with Professor H. L. Bolley Of the state
agricultural college in reference to /;
rust. +
Professor Bolley is working for the
elimination of the rust plague In his
investigation he is seeking to find
whether the life history Of the rust
fungus is completed in one plant. It
is well known that the yellow rust
barberry plant, and BY some it is said
to find lodgment also on the wild-rose
bush, common in grain fields. It is an
established fact that the grain is in
fected from a second plant, but the
professor investigation goes to show
that the plant does not infect itself.
Observations are conducted in a her
In which grain is grown.
Professor BOlley is a bOtanist and sci
enlist of note, who invented the dipping
process of seed grain to obviate smut,
already in universal practice.
Mr.. Peterson gathered from Professor
Bolleyy that thus far botanists are
agreed in the, main regarding repro
ductive methods or life history Of wheat
rust.
Three defined stages are described
as yellow. red and black rust. Yellow
rust is visible on the leaves Of the
barberry bush. The barberry is the
most necessary to the first stage in the
circle of development. Without it the
spores would lie dormant. In about
ond stage. Yellow rust dries and the
spores are deposited by air currents on
the grain Under favorable conditions
the spores lodge, that is when the plant
is moist with dew or rain and succu-
len e. the end Of eleven 70 thirteen a.x.
it breaks out as red rust, which is car
ried in dry spores to other fields, and
repeat the process, injecting wide. areas
Hot, muggy weather, with night dews
or mists, is favorable.
There may be an abundance of rust
without necessarily constituting a men
ace to the crop. Drenching rains would
| wash the plants clear of spores and
other not fully understood conditions
might intervene. Bright, sunshiny days
to minimum. There may be general
infection without material injury if
the infection takes place late.
Black Rust Hibernates.
ing spores like the yellow and red rust,
| develops upon the straw. Black spores
hibernate and in the spring search out a
host in the barberry bushes, where they
repeat the terminating process. If it
can be proven that the fungus has nc
| other host than the barberry the simple
method is to eradicate the barberry.
Good drainage would remove an element
Of danger, and the cultivation Of hardy
grains would diminish the danger, if not
wholly remove it.
Professor Bolley is attempting to Sc.
cure better drainage of the Red Riv.
er valley. Drainage land adoption of
clean methods of farming, with the de
struction Of straw tends to diminish
black rust. q - - stsi ! !
Mr.. Peterson reports that the 2darr
ger point is nearly past outside the. Rel
River valley. From personal examina
ton he finds a fine stand of grain and
encouraging outlook. Grain is in thu
the effect will be no more than to re
duce the grade of the grain. If at
tackled before it reaches. the dough
stage the grain will shrivel.