Tilletia laevis

Tilletia laevis is a species of fungus in the family Tilletiaceae. It is a plant pathogen that primarily affects wheat crops, causing a disease known as bunt or stinking smut.

Taxonomy

The species was first described scientifically by mycologist Paul Christoph Hennings in 1895. The genus name Tilletia is in honor of French botanist Mathieu Tillet, who first discovered the bunt fungi in wheat. The species epithet laevis is derived from Latin, meaning "smooth", likely referring to the smooth spores of the fungus.

Description

Tilletia laevis is characterized by its large, smooth, spherical teliospores. These spores are typically brown in color and range in size from 20 to 40 micrometers in diameter. The spores are filled with a dark, fetid mass of spores, which gives the disease its common name of "stinking smut".

Pathogenicity

Tilletia laevis is a biotrophic pathogen, meaning it requires a living host to complete its life cycle. The fungus infects the wheat plant at the seedling stage, growing intercellularly within the host tissue. The infection results in the replacement of the wheat kernels with the smut spores, causing significant yield loss.

Management

Management of Tilletia laevis involves a combination of cultural practices and chemical control. Crop rotation and the use of resistant wheat varieties can help to reduce the incidence of the disease. Fungicide seed treatments are also effective in controlling the pathogen.

See also

• Tilletia caries
• Tilletia controversa
• Tilletia tritici