The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-08-20
ON
CR|NKLF JOINT
Prof. H. L. Bolley Discusses
Condition-Over Cropped
Land to Blame.

As in previous year., during the
present season, there has been a very
large amount of interest taken in a
peculiar condition of the wheat crop
in certain districts of the state. where
by it is noticed that the wheat breaks
over, or bends over, and then tries to
recover by an erect growth. The
ly occurs, or is most specifically not
ed, just above the second joint from
the ground. The breaking off very
commonly looks as though a larval in
sect had eaten its way out from the
interior. and is always accompanied
by a characteristic brown discolora-
ton. Thus many people and some
expert cereal investigators have
thought that the trouble was due to
Hessian fly. This is not what is the
matter. 1 will call attention to the
fact that most of the injury occurs in
lands where wheat has been COM
monty produced in a rather contin-
uous or consecutive manner, though
scattering spots of the disease may
be found in new lands. The eason
the spots are scattering on the new
lands is that this sort of disease is
AZ oduSGo ny Xxx way III l1C SCCo.
The wheat grains are internally in
fected in exactly the same manner as
flax grains are internally infected by
the canker fungus. Weather condi-
tons is a great factor in the develop
ment Of the disease. This season
there was. in many portions Of the
state. very slow growth conditions
throughout the entire spring. The
wheat accumulated a very strong
root auon on old nj oaS .Sialr lands
When the late rains same along,
about July 1. the wheat shot up very
rapidly. The straw was weakest and
most %succulent at the joint or node
where the break over or crinkling
takes place. The disease is most pro-
nounced in old wheat lands and on
disced wheat stubble lands, because
UGH fields are often full of the can
ker of crinkled joint. Many Of the
Immediately transmit the disease to
the roots Of the new crop. When the
stems do not canker off. or break off,
they are often just weak enough to
bend over. causing a cringled condi-
ton of the straws. without any
breaking off. Seeds. however. on
such plants are almost uniformly
shriveled, and very often produce
black-pointed o. brown colored seeds.
containing the same fungi or para
sites, as is found in the brown discol-
Grafton at the crinkled joint. We
have learned how to prevent this dis
ease. We can introduce 1t through
the ground, when and where we wish
it. We can not always make the
stems break over. This depends on
whether conditions are right or moi.
but we can always produce the char
acteristic lesion or brown colored
spots. Upon examination, those who
are interested will find this crinkled
over joint often takes place lower
down, but not in such a pronounced
maner Indeed we have learned that
same disease causes much grain to
fall down because of weakness at the
first joint at the ground line. In a
uniform growing season there will
moi be much crinkling over Of the
straw, that is. If the soil moisture is
rather uniform throughout the sea-
son, and there are rather uniform
weather conditions, the crinkled Joint
does not occur.
Farmers who have much Of this
disease in their crop should be care
full to save their seed under cerdi-
tons such that the bundles and
shocks become damp or mouldy be-
tore the grain is threshed else much
Of their seed will be infected in the
same n even though sowed up-
On clean land.
In order to escape wheat canker
or crinkled Joint, it will be necessary
for the farmers to practice careful
seed selection, seed treatment and
crop rotation.
H. L. Bolley,
Agricultural College, N. D,