View source for Tilletia laevis

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[[File:Tilletia_laevis_PaDIL140186a.jpg|250px|thumb|''Tilletia laevis'' teliospores (SEM), scale = 10 µm (click on image to enlarge it)<br/>Author(s): Desley Tree, DEEDI<br/>Source: [http://www.padil.gov.au/aus-smuts/Pest/Main/140186 PaDIL]]]
<font color="#800000">'''''Tilletia laevis'''''</font> J.G. Kühn (1873)

This smut fungus is widely distributed in wheat-growing countries and causes common bunt. Infections affect mainly the ears, which are shorter and have kernels which are transformed into grayish-brown sori (bunt balls) that produce a fishy odour. The infected plants are often stunted with a reduced root system (e.g. [[Czech Journal of Genetics and Plant-Breeding (2007) 43, 82-86|Dumalasová & Bartos, 2007]]). The biology and morphology of ''T. laevis'' is very similar to that of ''[[Tilletia caries]]''. Both species can be separated by their teliospore morphology.

Like in ''T. caries'' the teliospores of ''T. laevis'' disperse through the air or through infected seeds. They can survive in the soil or on seeds for 10 years or more. Moisture and a low temperature favour the spore germination. After going through a basidiospore stage in the soil, the fungus infects the wheat seedlings before they emerge from the soil. Once the ears are formed, smutted kernels develop.
{{VN
|en=wheat smut
|es=carbón apestoso
}}
'''Synonyms:'''<br/>
''Tilletia foetida''


<gallery widths=200px caption="Other images of Tilletia laevis (PaDIL - click to enlarge)">
File:Tilletia_laevis_PaDIL140186b.jpg|teliospores, scale = 10 µm
File:Tilletia_laevis_PaDIL140186c.jpg|symptoms on wheat, scale = 5 mm
</gallery>

[[Category:Tilletia (genus)]]