Question

Fungi can be beneficial or destructive. One type of fungi, corn smut, attacks grain plants like corn. What would likely happen to these crops when they are attacked by smut?A. The crop yield is increased.B. The plants stop reproducingC. Results in huge crop loss

Answer 1

The Ustilago maydis is a fungi that causes a plant disease named corn smut, that attacks corn and teosinte plants. The corn smut reduces corn yields causing economic impact for the producers and farms, the symptoms of the disease are:

- Seeding infection causes the twisting and dropping of the leaves;

- Can effect the stem, leaves, clum, and stages of seed maturity;

- The apparence of gray to grayish black sori on the leaf and sheath, the sorus will contain black powder mas of spores of the fungi. Therefore, the disease will cause a huge crop loss (C), since the corn with the corn smut will not be sell to the consumers.