DISEASES OF SMALL GRAINS - TAKE-ALL

Take-all is a classic root and crown disease of wheat caused by the fungus Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici. Plants affected by take-all are often stunted and have fewer tillers than non-infected plants. Infected tillers may die, leaving seed heads that are bleached and do not fill. These heads often become colonized by non-pathogenic fungi, and can appear dark and sooty. This colonization process (as discussed above) is called “weathering”. Weathered heads are often confused with those infected by the loose smut fungus.