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IPM Scouting in Herbaceous Perennials

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White smut
IPM scouting in herbaceous perennials > white smut
Pathogen: Entyloma polysporum.

Hosts: Aster, Echinacea, Gaillardia, Helianthus and Rudbeckia.

Symptoms: Round, white spots, up to 1 centimeter in diameter. Young lesions may create very faint spots. Over time, the spots turn brown and become necrotic.

Spread: Spores are formed inside the leaf tissue. As lesions mature, the leaf surface ruptures, releasing the spores. Spores are wind-dispersed. A white, powdery material may be visible on the leaf surface. Spores of this fungus are not known to survive winters in the northern United States.

Management: Remove all symptomatic plants. Plants in greenhouses may need fungicide applications for good disease control. The disease is favored by cool, humid conditions; disease spread will be slow under warm, dry conditions.

Note: Of the hosts listed, Gaillardia is most susceptible. The disease has been documented on the cultivars ‘Goblin’, ‘Baby Cole’ and ‘Fanfare.’ This disease has been seen with increasing frequency in the past few years.
White, round lesions on foliage Older lesions caused by white smut Dieback caused by a severe white smut infestation
Whitish, round lesions on Gaillardia foliage. Older lesions caused by white smut on Gaillardia have coalesced and are causing necrosis. Dieback caused by a severe white smut infestation on a landscape planting of Gaillardia.
This information was developed from A Pocket Guide for IPM Scouting in Herbaceous Perennials by Jan Byrne and Raymond A. Cloyd. Purchase this in a pocket-sized guide for reference in the orchard from MSU Extension (publication E-2981).
The MSU IPM Program maintains this site as an access point to pest management information at MSU. The IPM Program is administered within the Department of Entomology, fueled by research from the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, delivered to citizens through MSU Extension, and proud to be a part of Project GREEEN.
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Updated 8/13/07