Stripe Smut
Grass veins turn black and rupture
Photo courtesy of the University of Wisconsin
The fungus Ustilago striformis causes stripe smut. All cool-season grasses can be affected; however, it is primarily a problem of Kentucky bluegrass and bent grasses. Symptoms are most visible in the spring and fall.
Signs and Symptoms
Affected grass is stunted and turns a lighter yellow-green color. Grass veins turn black and rupture. The blades shred, shrivel and curl.
Favorable Conditions:
Disease is favored by temperature from fifty to sixty degrees Fahrenheit and high moisture levels.
Cultural Prevention and Control
Irrigating as needed and using smut resistant varieties of bluegrass can decrease the incidence of this disease. Severe cases require total elimination of the affected stand.