ORGANIC MERCURY FUNGICIDES AND DISEASE RESISTANCE IN THE CONTROL OF SLENDER WHEAT GRASS SMUT

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Abstract
The common smut disease of slender wheat grass, Agropyron pauciflorum, was completely controlled by treatment of naturally or artificially smutted seed with three organic mercury dust fungicides containing as active ingredients ethyl mercury phosphate, methyl mercury nitrate and methyl mercury phosphate, respectively. Applications of one-half ounce per bushel gave as satisfactory control as higher rates and caused no appreciable seed injury after storage of the treated seed for one year.Several Alberta collections of wild plants of Agropyron pauciflorum and of intermediates between Agropyron pauciflorum and Agropyron subsecundum proved highly resistant or immune from smut when artificially inoculated at Edmonton, while other collections proved moderately or highly susceptible.Fyra, a superior variety of slender wheat grass which has been distributed for several years by the University of Alberta, has been shown to be highly smut resistant but not immune.As long as smut-susceptible strains of slender wheat grass are grown, and until immune varieties are developed and generally distributed, continuance of seed treatment is advised.

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