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Karnal bunt: A minor disease that is now a threat to wheat

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Abstract

Karnal bunt of wheat, caused byNeovossia indica (Mitra) Mundkur, was first reported in 1931 from Northwestern India in experimental plantings. For many years it was a minor disease found only in Northwestern India. During the 1969–70 crop season it was unusually widespread in Northwest India and since 1974–75 Karnal bunt has been distributed throughout Northern India from West Bengal to the western border. Seed lots with more than 50% of the kernels infected have been collected from farm threshing sites. The disease is now established in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan and Mexico and has been intercepted in India in wheat seed that was shipped from Lebanon and Syria. The increased geographic distribution of Karnal bunt may be due to the development and wide distribution of wheat cultivars that were more susceptible than the older wheats that were grown in India prior to 1969–70. Resistance to Karnal bunt has been reported in several Indian wheats but most cultivars are susceptible. Hexachlorobenzene and cyano (methylmercuric) guanidine each prevented germination of teliospores ofN. indica in tests in Mexico.

Sommaire

La “carie du Karnal” du blé causée parNeovossia indica (Mitra) Mundkur, a été observée pour la première fois en 1931 dans un essai expérimental situé au NW de l’Inde. Pendant plusieurs années, cette maladie, confinée au NE de l’Inde, n’avait que peu d’importance. Pendant la saison agricole 1969–70, “la carie du Karnal” du blé a été contrairement aux prévisions, largement distribuée dans le NE de l’Inde, et depuis 1974, elle a acquis une importance considérable dans tout le Nord de l’Inde, depuis le Bengal jusqu’à la frontière ouest du pays. Cette maladie a été aussi observée en Afghanistan, Irak, Pakistan et au Méxique. De plus, elle a été détectée dans des semences de blé destinées à l’Inde, provenant du Liban et de la Syrie. L’élargissement de la distribution géographique de cette maladie peut être attribuée à l’utilisation accentuée de nouvelles variétés de blé qui sont plus sensibles que celles anciennement cultivées en Inde avant 1969. Certaines variétés du blé ont été rapportées résistantes à “la carie du Karnal,” cependant, la majorité des cultivars testés sont sensibles. Des produits chimiques, tels que l’hexachlorobenzene et le cyano (méthylmercurique) guanidine ont été trouvés capables d’empêchler la germination des teleutospores deN. indica dans des essais expérimentaux conduits au Méxique.

Resúmen

El carbón de karnal del trigo causado porNeovossia indica (Mitra) Mundkur, fué reportado por primera vez en 1931 en el noroeste de la India en siembras expérimentales. Por muchos años fué una enfermedad secundaria encontrada solamente en el noroeste de la India. Durante el ciclo de cultivo 1969–70 estuvo extraordinariamente extendido en el noroeste de la India y desde 1974–75 el carbón de karnal se ha distribuido a través del norte de la India desde el este de Bengala hasta la frontera occidental. Lotes de semilla con más del 50% del grano contaminado han sido colectados en el lugar de la trilla. La enfermedad está ahora establecida en Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan y México, y ha sido interceptada en la India en semilla de trigo que fue embarcada en el Líbano y Siria. El incremento en la distributión geográfica del carbón de karnal puede ser debido al desarrollo y amplia distribución de variedades de trigo más susceptibles que las cultivadas en la India antes de 1969–70. Resistencia al carbón de karnal ha sido reportada en algunas variedades Indias de trigo pero la mayoría son susceptibles. Hexaclorobenzeno y cyano (metilmercúrico) guanidina previnieron la germinatión de teliosporas deN. indica en pruebas en México.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Mycology and Plant Pathology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, 110012, New Delhi, India

    L. M. Joshi, D. V. Singh & K. D. Srivastava

  2. Department of Plant Pathology, Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station, 55108, St. Paul, Minnesota

    R. D. Wilcoxson

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  1. L. M. Joshi
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  2. D. V. Singh
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  3. K. D. Srivastava
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  4. R. D. Wilcoxson
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Joshi, L.M., Singh, D.V., Srivastava, K.D. et al. Karnal bunt: A minor disease that is now a threat to wheat. Bot. Rev 49, 309–330 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02861085

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