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Sphacelotheca reiliana (head smut of maize )
Sphacelotheca reiliana
head smut of maize
Sorosporium holci-sorghi, Sorosporium holci-sorghi f. sp. zeae, Sorosporium reilianum, Sporisorium reilianum, Ustilago reiliana, Ustilago reiliana f. sp. zeae, Cintractia reiliana, Ustilago abortifera, Ustilago holci-sorghi, Sporisorium holci-sorghi, Sphacelotheca holci-sorghi, Ustilago pulveracea, Sorosporium simii
Worldwide
Widespread
2025-12-23
fungus
Thailand
Main: corn, sorghum
SPHTRE
Sphacelotheca reiliana is a soil-borne smut fungus that primarily infects corn, replacing ears and tassels with black, powdery spore masses. The fungus infects seedlings through the roots and spreads systemically to reproductive tissues. Seed is not a common pathway for transmission. Not considered an economically important disease.
Crops
Sorghum bicolor
sorghum
Yes
SPHTRE-5, CABI CPC, SPHTRE-7, SPHTRE-10, SPHTRE-11
Sporisorium reilianum does not infect the interior of sorghum seeds, so it is not truly seedborne. However, teliospores can adhere to the surface of harvested seed and move with seed lots. When such contaminated seed is planted, the spores can germinate in the soil or seedbed and infect emerging seedlings, effectively making seed a pathway for introducing the pathogen to new fields.
Chemical, cultural
Seed cleaning and conditioning effectively control this pathogen in seed lots. Fungicide seed treatments are effective.
SPHTRE-5, CABI CPC
2025-12-23 15:56:58
SPHTRE-5
LK Edmunds and N Zummo. 1975. Sorghum diseases in the United States and their control. ARS USDA, Washington DC.
CABI CPC
Crop Protection Compendium. Wallingford, UK: CAB International. www.cabi.org/cpc.
SPHTRE-7
Zhang Z, Fan J, Feng M, Qiu H, Hu A. Polymerase Chain Reaction-Assisted Evaluation of the Efficacy of Seed-Treatment Prevention of Sporisorium reilianum Infection in Sorghum Seedlings. Front Microbiol. 2021 Oct 29;12:745144.
SPHTRE-10
Martinez, C., Roux, C., Jauneau, A. and Dargent, R., 2002. The biological cycle of Sporisorium reilianum f. sp. zeae: an overview using microscopy. Mycologia, 94(3), pp.505-514.
SPHTRE-11
Kosiada, T., 2011. In vitro influence of selected fungicides on Sphacelotheca reiliana and Ustilago maydis. Journal of Plant Protection Research, 51(4), pp.342-348.
Zea mays
corn
Yes
SPHTRE-2, SPHTRE-3, SPHTRE-4, SPHTRE-9, SPHTRE-10, SPHTRE-11, SPHTRE-12
Sphacelotheca reiliana infects maize by attacking seedling roots, then spreading systemically through the plant to undifferentiated floral tissues. Teliospores can survive in soil or crop residue for several years and germinate to form sporidia. Although teliospores may occasionally be seedborne and seed-transmitted, seed is not an important source of inoculum.
Yes
Seed Wash Test
NSHS METHOD: Mz 4.1 Washing test (McGee, 1988) (formerly Cf 4.1)
NSHS METHOD: Mz 4.1
NSHS USDA
Fungicide treatments are available and effective in controlling spores associated with the seed lot. 
Seed treatements are effective in controlling spores associated with the seed lot.
SPHTRE-2, CABI CPC
2025-12-23 15:23:35
SPHTRE-2
McGee, DC. 1988. Maize Diseases: A reference Source for Seed Technologists. APS Press, St. Paul, MN USA. 150 pp.
SPHTRE-3
Bressman EN and Barss HP. 1933. Experiments with head smut of corn in Western Oregon. Phytopathology, 23:396-403
SPHTRE-4
Kruger W, 1962. Sphacelotheca reiliana in maize.I Infection and control studies. South Afr. J. Agric. Sci., 5:43-56.
SPHTRE-9
Munkvold, G. P., & White, D. G. (2016). Compendium of corn diseases (No. Ed. 4, pp. 165-pp).
SPHTRE-10
Martinez, C., Roux, C., Jauneau, A. and Dargent, R., 2002. The biological cycle of Sporisorium reilianum f. sp. zeae: an overview using microscopy. Mycologia, 94(3), pp.505-514.
SPHTRE-11
Kosiada, T., 2011. In vitro influence of selected fungicides on Sphacelotheca reiliana and Ustilago maydis. Journal of Plant Protection Research, 51(4), pp.342-348.
SPHTRE-12
Stromberg, E.L., Stienstra, W.C., Kommedahl, T., Matyac, C.A., Windels, C.E. and Geadelmann, J.L., 1984. Smut expression and resistance of corn to Sphacelotheca reiliana in Minnesota. Plant disease, 68(10), pp.880-884.
NSHS USDA
United Stated Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Protection Service National Seed Health System (USDA-APHIS NSHS) www.seedhealth.org
CABI CPC
Crop Protection Compendium. Wallingford, UK: CAB International. www.cabi.org/cpc.
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