SMUTS OF SORGHUM Economic importance.-Losses from sorghum kernel smuts approximate 690,000 to 2,070,000 bushels annually. No figures are available for the losses from head smut of sorghum. Results and current progress.-(1) In cooperation with the Kansas State Agricultural College it has been found that copper-carbonate seed treatment controls the sorghum kernel smut. (2) The life history and method of infection of head smut of sorghum and corn have been determined. Infection has been found to take place chiefly from the soil-borne organism and seed treatment is only partially effective. (3) Physiologic forms of the two kernel smuts of sorghum have been identified, and it has been proven that these smuts hybridize, resulting in new physiologic forms. (4) The resistance of standard and new varieties of both sorghum and corn to these smuts is being tested with encouraging results. FLAX WILT Flax wilt is caused by a group of soil-infesting fungi that attack the roots of the flax plants. Economic importance.-Flax wilt is important in Minnesota, North and South Dakota, and Montana. The flax industry of these States is possible only because flax disease studies have developed resistant varieties. Older susceptible varieties can not be grown on older lands. Results and current progress.-The outstanding accomplishment in the investigation of flax wilt has been the development of highly resistant strains of flax. Several of these have resulted from cooperative investigations of the Department of Agriculture. Use of these resistant varieties has made possible the growing of flax on wilt-infested soil. The most resistant varieties are deficient in some respects, however, and investigations are being continued to develop better resistant strains and varieties. Field stations and major field experiments of cereal crops and diseases Tifton-Georgia Coastal Plain Experi- 5 acres available through cooperation.. ment Station. Estimated Remarks $2,850 Cooperation: Arizona Agricultural Experiment Station. Major activity: Investigations on culture and improvement of cereals, particularly wheat, barley, oats, and grain sorghum. 4,400 Cooperation: Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station. Major activity: Research on diseases of rice, including stem rot, straight-head, leaf spots, and seedling diseases. 2,500 Cooperation: Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station. Major activity: 4,050 Cooperation: California Agricultural Experiment Station. Major Activity: 5,020 3,500 Cooperation: California Agricultural Experiment Station. Major activity: Investigations on culture and improvement of cereals, particularly wheat, oats and barley. Cooperation: Colorado Agricultural Experiment Station. Major activity: Investigations on culture and improvement of cereals, particularly wheat, barley, oats, and grain sorghum. 2, 390 1,695 Cooperation: Georgia State College of Agriculture. Major activity: Investigations on culture and improvement of cereals, particularly wheat, barley, and oats. 3, 225 Cooperation: Georgia Coastal Plain Experiment Station. Major activity: Corn investigations. 3,390 50 acres available through cooperation.. 6,300 11, 190 20, 120 14, 520 75 acres available through cooperation.. Cooperation: Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station. Major activity: Cereal investigations, particularly wheat, oats, and barley. Cooperation: Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station. Major activity: Agronomic and pathologic investigations on wheat, oats, and barley. Cooperation: Funk Bros. Seed Co., and Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station. Major activity: Investigations of root, stalk, and ear rots of corn. Coopera.un: Purdue Agricultural Experiment Station. Major activity: Pathologic investigations of cereals particularly wheat, rye, barley, and corn. Cooperation: Iowa Agricultural Experiment Station. Major activity: Breeding experiments with oats and corn. Studies in crown rust of oats. Kansas: Location and name Field stations and major field experiments of cereal crops and diseases—Continued Description Hays-Fort Hays branch station, State 80 acres available through cooperation.. Manhattan-Kansas Agricultural Experi- 25 acres available through cooperation.. Estimated Remarks $4, 740 Cooperation: Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station. Major activity: Inves- 25, 530 Cooperation: Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station. Major activity: Inves- 9 acres available through cooperation..] 3, 550 Cooperation: Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station. Major activity: Fargo-North Dakota Agricultural Ex-5 acres available, through cooperation.. 6,000 4,900 Cooperation: Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station. Major activity: 5, 500 1, 475 Cooperation: Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station. Major activity: Cooperation: Montana Agricultural Experiment Station. Major activity: 2,500 Cooperation: Montana Agricultural Experiment Station. Major activity: 2, 475 4,000 Cooperation: Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station. Major activity: Cooperation: Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station. Major activity: Cooperation: North Dakota Agricultural Experimental Station. Major ac- 7,400 Cooperation: North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station. Major activity: 2,650 Cooperation: North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station. Major activity: Investigations on culture and improvement of wheat. North Dakota-Continued. Mandan-United States northern Great Plains field station. Ohio, Wooster-Ohio Agricultural Experi- Oklahoma, Woodward-United States south- Oregon: Corvallis-Oregon Agricultural Experi- Office, laboratory, and greenhouse space available through cooperation. 160 acres land available through coop. 22 acres available through cooperation. Wisconsin, Madison-Wisconsin Agricultural 10 acres available through cooperation. 5, 540 Cooperation: U. S. Division of Dry Land Agriculture which operates the station. Major activity: Investigations on culture and improvement of wheat, oats, barley and flax. 9,650 Cooperation: North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station. Major activity: 3,600 Cooperation: Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station. Major activity: In- 8,320 2,850 2,500 Cooperation: Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station. Major activity: In- Cooperation: Texas Agricultural Experiment Station. Major activity: In- 19, 200 Cooperation: Washington Agricultural Experiment Station. Major activity: Investigations of scab of wheat and other cereals. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1932. CITRUS-CANKER ERADICATION Mr. BUCHANAN. The next item is: Citrus-canker eradication: For conducting such investigations of the nature and means of communication of the disease of citrus trees known as citrus canker, and for applying such methods of eradication or control of the disease as in the judgment of the Secretary of Agriculture may be necessary, including the payment of such expenses and the employment of such persons and means, in the city of Washington and elsewhere, and cooperation with such authorities of the States concerned, organizations of growers, or individuals, as he may deem necessary to accomplish such purposes, $26,542, and, in the discretion of the Secretary of Agriculture, no expenditures shall be made for these purposes until a sum or sums at least equal to such expenditures shall have been appropriated, subscribed, or contributed by State, county, or local authorities or by individuals or organizations for the accomplishment of such purposes: Provided, That no part of the money herein appropriated shall be used to pay the cost or value of trees or other property injured or destroyed. WORK UNDER THIS APPROPRIATION Doctor TAYLOR. In cooperation with Florida, Alabama, Mississippi Louisiana, and Texas, the bureau conducts a campaign for the eradication of citrus canker, a bacterial disease of citrus fruits and trees, by the thorough inspection of nurseries and citrus groves, formalin treatment of infected soil, protective spraying of groves exposed to infection, and destruction of diseased trees. As a result of the vigorous campaign, the disease has been practically eliminated from the commercially important areas, but scattered infections still occur sporadically. Each State is now maintaining a close reinspection of all citrus properties and this will be continued for several years because of the extreme infectiousness of the disease. No infections have been found in Florida, Alabama, or Mississippi for several years, but scattered infections in orchards and dooryard plantings outside of commercial districts have been found in Texas and Louisiana. The citrus-canker eradication item, appropriation for which during the current year was $30,000, is estimated for the new year at $26,542, a decrease of $3,458. This reduction is, in part-that is, to the extent of $1,458-on account of continuation of the legislative furlough and $2,000 reduction to be effected in general reduction in travel expenses. Mr. BUCHANAN. Well, your deduction for travel expenses means that you will have less travel down there? Doctor TAYLOR. Yes, sir; in the main, and to some extent it reflects reduction in actual travel costs. Mr. BUCHANAN. If you have less travel for your men, why can not you have less men? Doctor TAYLOR. Well, it is a question there of a reduction of the cost of the travel, rather than a reduction of the amount of the work to be done, that needs to be done, by the men. |