Dr. Kevin Korus: Corn Smut, a Disgusting Disaster or a Delicious Delicacy?

Yahoo News! ^ | April 17, 2022 | Dr. Kevin Korus

[nickcarraway]

Have you ever gleefully walked into your garden, anxiously anticipating your early summer sweet-corn harvest, only to find that your ears have been replaced with a large, gray mass? Do not fret; this is a very common fungal plant pathogen called smut. Corn smut occurs most often on the ear, but also can show up on the stalk, leaves and even the tassel of corn plants. The large, gray tumor that replaces the corn kernels or even the entire ear of corn is the fungus’ fruiting body, which gives rise to its reproductive spores. When the fruiting body first develops, it is a solid mass of off-white or gray tissue. When the fruiting body is mature, however, it becomes filled with thousands of tiny, black teliospores. The tumor eventually erupts, and these spores are wind-blown or rain-splashed onto other plants. They then germinate, mate and create infection filaments that can continue the disease cycle.

There isn’t much that can be done to prevent corn smut. The disease is favored by physical wounding on the ears. Increasing space between plants can help reduce bruising and wounds on the ears from when they knock into each other during periods of high wind. However, the fungus can actively penetrate leaf tissues via an appressorium, so wounding is not necessary for infection. Preventative fungicides can help reduce disease incidence but are rarely used to combat this fungus due to its unpredictable nature.

Although this fungus looks rather unappealing, it is quite delicious! I do not — and cannot — recommend harvesting and preparing this fungus yourself; however, if you are ever in a restaurant that serves huitlacoche, give it a try! Huitlacoche is the Spanish word for corn smut. Long ago the people of Mexico discovered the delicious nature of this fungal plant pathogen

[M1903A1]

“Corn smut”...another one for Dave Barry’s list of cool garage band names....

[ConservativeMind]

It’s both, but I’ve eaten “corn smut” in a quesadilla, and it was really tasty.

[Ellendra]

I do not — and cannot — recommend harvesting and preparing this fungus yourself

Why not?

I'm allergic to mushrooms, so I'm not going to try it. But, I lose part of my corn crop every year to this, so I'm curious about the idea of harvesting and selling some.

[Openurmind]

https://www.eattheweeds.com/corn-smut-mexican-truffl

[Fungi]

Some doctor he is, never even names the fungus. It is Ustilago maydis, and it is highly sought after by ethnic lovers of it. It is available canned in Mexico, and some farmers intentionally try to introduce it into their fields.

[Openurmind]

Only reason I can see is the harvest time window, can’t be too soon or too late.

[ViLaLuz]

Me encanta el huitlacoche.

[hinckley buzzard]

I’ve seen it on the stalk and couldn’t imagine eating it.

[Deepeasttx]

I’ll stick with my scrapple.

[BozoTexino]

The street taco places near me sell.it.

[moovova]

[GaltAdonis]

The only "large, gray" things that ever attacked my corn
were fat gray squirrels.

[nickcarraway]

Corn?

[MV=PY]

Oh sure.

But can the gummint turn it into gas with taxpayer subsidies?

[Tijeras_Slim]

Perfect compliment to a fugu taco.

[Fury]

When it occurs, my goats love it.

I’ll take their word for it.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

SMUT is the old name for pornography.

[grey_whiskers]

Sponsored by Klaus Schwab no doubt.

[TChad]