Dr. Phyto

False oat-grass

Arrhenatherum elatius

Diseases & pests on this plant

• crown rust of oatPuccinia coronata

  Bright orange-yellow pustules on leaves with characteristic crown-shaped teliospores in late season, severe infection causes premature leaf death + lodging, kernels do not fill properly leading to shrivelled grain, in epidemic years 50%+ yield loss with poor grain quality.

• ergot of rye + cerealsClaviceps purpurea

  Hard purple-black curved sclerotia (5-30mm long) replacing kernels in cereal heads (very distinctive — looks like a black banana stuck in the head), honeydew (sticky yellow exudate) on flowering heads during infection phase, sclerotia drop to ground at harvest + survive winter, contaminated grain dangerous for human + animal consumption.

• Take-all patchGaeumannomyces avenae

  Roughly circular, sunken patches 5–60 cm across, at first orange-bronze then bleached straw to grey, with the worst symptoms on bentgrass. The centre often recovers and is colonised by weeds or other grasses, giving a 'frog-eye' ring. Roots are blackened, rotted and pull away easily; worst on alkaline, sandy or newly limed soils 1–3 years after establishment.