Abstract

The basidiomycete smut fungi have been intensively studied over the past century because of their threat to the yield and quality of major crop plants. There are 1200 species of smut fungi in approximately 50 genera and a wide range of both monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants (approximately 4000 species) serve as hosts for one or more smuts.1 Among the more familiar smut species are Ustilago maydis (DC.) Corda (common smut of corn), Ustilago hordei (Pers.) Lagerh. and related species (smut of small grain cereals), Ustilago violacea (Pers.) Roussel (smut of Caryophyllaceae), Tilletia caries (DC) Tul. (common bunt of wheat) and T. controversa Kuhn in Rabenh. (dwarf bunt of wheat). A wealth of older literature deals with many aspects of smut fungi; this information is included in selected cases for background, but this chapter focuses primarily on work published in the last ten years. Essential reading for historical perspectives on the fascinating biology of the smut fungi include Fischer and Holton’s classic Biology and Control of the Smut Fungi 2 and Christensen’s monograph Corn Smut caused by Ustilago maydis.3

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