Diseases of Cereals

Abstract

CORRECT diagnosis is of prime importance for the successful prevention and control of plant disease, and considerable confusion is frequently caused by the loose use of terms such as 'blight', 'rust' or 'mildew'. The Ministry of Agriculture has accordingly published Bulletin No. 129, compiled by W. C. Moore, entitled "Cereal Diseases" (London: H.M. Stationery Office. 1s. net), which should prove of great value to all interested in the cultivation of these crops, whether it be the farmer, scientific adviser or student of agriculture. It provides simple, accurate and, in a number of cases, illustrated descriptions of the diseases of cereals that occur in Great Britain, together with the measures that should be taken to prevent or control their incidence. The diseases causing the most damage are yellow rust, bunt of wheat, leaf spot of oats, leaf stripe of barley, take-all, eyespot, mildew and manganese deficiency disease; but even these vary in intensity from season to season and in some years others are of equal importance. A farmer experiencing trouble with cereal crops is urged to seek advice from his County War Agricultural Committee, and a list of provincial advisory centres and advisory mycologists is appended from whom help may be obtained.