A Quantitative Trait Locus (QTL) mapping study is under way to analyse the genetic determinism underlying sugarcane smut resistance. A total of 1295 polymorphic AFLP markers have been generated on a population of 200 individuals derived from a cross between R 570 (resistant) and MQ 76/53 (highly susceptible). This population is under evaluation for its resistance to smut in the field over three...

Sex expression of dioecious buffalograss [Bouteloua dactyloides Columbus (syn. Buchloë dactyloides (Nutt.) Engelm.)] is known to be environmentally stable with approximate 1:1, male to female, sex ratios. Here we show that infection by the pistil smut fungus [Salmacisia buchloëana Huff & Chandra (syn. Tilletia buchloëana Kellerman and Swingle)] shifts sex ratios of buffalograss to be nearly...

Ustilagic acid is a water-insoluble glycolipid produced by Ustilago may&, the corn smut fungus. It was discovered by Haskins (l), and its structure was elucidated by Lemieux, Thorn, and Bauer (2, 3). Pilot plant quantities are being produced in Japan.’ Ustilagic acid was shown to be a mixture of acylated derivatives of /I-n-cellobiosyl-15u, l&dihydroxy-n-hexadecanoic acid (glucoustilic acid A) ...

Ustilago is a polyphyletic genus of smut fungi found mainly on Poaceae. The development of a taxonomy that reflects phylogeny requires subdivision of Ustilago into smaller monophyletic genera. Several separate systematic analyses have determined that Macalpinomyces mackinlayi, M. tubiformis, Tolyposporella pachycarpa, Ustilago bouriquetii and U. maydis, occupy a unique phylogenetic position wit...