DETECTION OF THE RICE KERNEL SMUT Tilletia barclayana (Bref) Sacc y Sydow IN PANAMA. 1997.

Abstract

The rice Kernel Smut is considered a minor disease which caused estimated losses of 15% (Whitney, 1992). The smut infect a feus Keinds of the panicle and replace the endospern by a moss of black spores. There is a lack of endogenous information related to the presence, incidence and distribution of the smut in the rice growing areas of Panama. Samples of rice and dust were collected in silo of the central provinces and Panama and were analized with the procedure developed by Agarwarl and Srivastava (1981, 1985) in the laboratories of plant protection of IDIAP-Divisa. Tilletia barclayana were detected in 200 samples (85.6% of samples). The camidospores (Whitney, 1992) of Teliospores (Agarwal y col., 1989) were globose, rounded with 35 μm in diameter, darkcolor, cover by spines and intermingle with esterile spores. This study suggest that rice Kernel smut is endemic in the country. Therefore, to reduce its incidence in souin fields is necessary to use certificate seed, face of smut (Agarwal y col., 1989) because there is no chemical treatment available. The protocol for rice Kernel Smut detection must be included in the certification parameters of the national seed committe and established for imported seed permissible level of infestation (0.1% basic seed, 0.5% certificate seed) (Agarwal y col., 1989).