Relationship between incidence and severity of peanut smut and its regional distribution in the main growing region of Argentina

Peanut smut, caused by the soil-borne pathogen Thecaphora frezii, has increased in incidence main Argentinian peanut-growing regions. Smut-affected pod transform kernel into a mass of teliospores, which survive soil for long time. This study is first large-scale (regional) survey to determine occurrence and distribution peanut smut area Argentina. Surveys were conducted Córdoba province, randomly selected commercial fields (n = 217) grown from 2015 2020. A five-score severity scale been used quantify on pods (0 healthy kernels 4 totally smutted kernels), disease index (DSI) was calculated. Pods with scores 3 are rejected industry produce high volume spores that spread among increasing inoculum soil. Those classified as severely damaged (SDP). The relative frequency classes during years evaluated relationships between yearly DSI determined. mean variable (never zero) across 1.66% 11.47% More than 80% affected belonged SDP category. SDP, more time cost-effective method quantifying best explained variation values. Our results suggest visual estimates should be useful monitoring, screening genotypes, or treatment comparisons management experiments. data provided an update knowledge T. frezii over