Wild plants

Smut of doob gras

Host: Cynodon dactylon (Doob grass)
Pathogen: Ustilago cynodontis

Disease

Doob grass infected with loose smut

Doob grass infected of loose smut

Smuts are caused by Ustilago sp. (Basidiomycetes). The fungus, which is obligate parasite, infect the inflorescence of grasses (members of family Poaceae). The disease can be seen in doob-grass growing everywhere. In infected plants, whole the inflorescence get converted into the black mass. Which is called as “smut”.