Smyrna times., 1931-09-09
CONTROL OF WHEAT SMUT
Efforts of II. e. Wilson, Kent Fed
eral Agent. Showing Results
An Economic Necessity

In connection with the project
which was started in this state six
years ago under the direction of
the extension service of the Uni
versity of Delaware and the State
Board of Agriculture to control
the stinking smut in wheat by seed
treatment, the attention of all
wheat growers has been called
again this summer to the import
ance of following this practice as
one of the methods of producing
grain of the highest quality for
both seeding and feeding purposes.
In view of the fact that one of the
greatest losses to the wheat crop
in Delaware in former years has
been attributed to the excessive
prevalence of sinking smut, and
since Kent county has received its
proportionate share of this loss in
dockage in the market prices,
county agent Russell E. Wilson has
given special attention to this dis
ease control program in coopera-
ton with Dr. ]. F. Adams, plant
pathologist of the University of
Delaware and the State Board of
Agriculture, interested grain deal
ers and growers. As the result of
these efforts which included the
conducting of seed treatment dem
onstrations, the mailing of circular
letters to the wheat growers, and
the publishing of news articles in
the county and state papers each
year, the quantity of seed wheat
treated in Kent county for the con-
troll of this disease has increased
from 4 800 bushels in 1925 to A.
$40 bushels in 1880, or about SO
per cent of the total wheat acre
age. On September of this year
circular letters prepared by the
plant pathologist and the county
agent were mailed from the county
extension Office in Dover to all the
wheat growers in Kent county en-
phasizing the Importance of treat
ing the seed again this year to pre-
vent a possible dockage in price
when the 1882 crop is harvested
! Although remarkable progress has
been made in eradicatIng stinking
smut from the wheat fields in this
section Of the country, this disease
is still found in some areas every
year, indicating that continued
effort should be made to encourage
seed treatment as means of hold
ing this disease in check as vel
as reducing the percentage of smut
in the wheat crop. The present
market prices for wheat and the
outlook for higher prices in tbs
near future are not very encourag-
ing, but those farmers who arr
planning to grow this crop even o.
a much reduced acreage should nc
neglect to treat their seed, as tn
practice is of considerably mo, {
Importance under the present eco
nomic conditions than when wheat
was selling at high price pei
bushel. Unless wheat is absolute.
ly free from smut, therefore, there
is every good reason to treat the
seed and to not gamble on the pos
sibilities of a dockage next year
The recommendations for treating
wheat have not been changed since
this campaign was started si2
years ago, in that it is being ad
vised that either of the dust ma
terials be used at the rate of two
ounces to each bushel of seed. Tht
dusts which are on the market to
day include copper carbonate, cop
percarb, sanoceed and ceresan
either one of which will give salts
factory control if the wheat i!
treated in a revolving barrel Of
drum, or in a treating machine, il
order that the dust will be evenly
distributed over the grain.