Corn smut is extremely common. It cannot be controlled with fungicides, nor with treating the seed. Infection can occur through wounds. Therefore, avoid injury to roots, stalks and leaves while weeding. Insect damage can also leave the plant vulnerable, so eliminating corn worms and earwigs can help.
To minimize the damage, remove the immature galls before they break open - and eat, bury, or burn them.
Yes, it can safely be eaten! In Mexico, the immature smut galls are consumed as an edible delicacy known as cuitlacoche (wheat-lah-KOH-chay).
Think mushrooms. Even in the USA, restaurants catering to Hispanic customers sometimes feature this item on their menus. Try them cooked with scrambled eggs.
Meanwhile, to reduce the problem of having them grow in your corn, remove them early, and if the infection is bad, do not plant corn in that area for 3-4 years. Or develop a taste for wheat-lah-koh-chay!
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
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