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smut
smut name for an order of parasitic fungi (Ustilaginales) and the various diseases of plants caused by them. Smuts produce sootlike masses of spores on the host. The spore masses may break up into a dustlike powder readily scattered by wind (loose smuts) or remain more or less covered by a smooth membrane (covered or kernel smuts). Certain smuts are edible and are considered a delicacy in some countries. As a disease, smuts lower the vitality of the host plant and often cause deformities. There is no alternation of hosts. Smuts are a most serious threat to cereal grain crops. Among those that cause severe annual losses to crops are corn smut, oat smut, bunt or stinking smut, and loose smut of wheat. Bunt is probably the most serious disease that attacks wheat at the young or seedling stage and spoils the grain. It has the odor of sour herring and is caused by either of two smut fungi. The fungus may be present on the wheat seed or in the soil in which the seed is sown, or it may be blown into a field by the wind. Smuts are classified in the kingdom Fungi , phylum (division) Basidiomycota, order Ustilaginales. |
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"smut." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "smut." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-smut.html "smut." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-smut.html |
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smut
smut / smət/ • n. 1. a small flake of soot or other dirt. ∎ a mark or smudge made by such a flake. 2. a disease of grains in which parts of the ear change to black powder, caused by a fungus of the order Ustilaginales. 3. obscene or lascivious talk, writing, or pictures. • v. (smutted , smutting ) [tr.] [often as adj.] (smutted) 1. mark with flakes or soot or other dirt. 2. infect (a plant) with smut: smutted wheat. DERIVATIVES: smut·ti·ly / -təlē/ adv. smut·ti·ness n. smut·ty adj. (smut·ti·er , smut·ti·est ) . |
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"smut." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "smut." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-smut.html "smut." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-smut.html |
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smut
smut blacken, smudge XVI; affect (grain) with smut XVII. Parallel formations with sm..t are OE. smitt smear, smittian pollute, smītan SMITE, ME. ismotted, besmotered stained (XIV), and also LG. smutt, MHG. smuz, smutzen (G. schmutz, schmutzen).
So sb., fungous disease of plants marked by blackness; black or sooty mark; indecent language XVII. Hence smutty (of grain) XVI; dirty, blackened, obscene XVII. |
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T. F. HOAD. "smut." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "smut." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-smut.html T. F. HOAD. "smut." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-smut.html |
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smut
smut A plant disease caused by a fungus of the order Ustilaginales. Many types of plant can be affected, but smuts are particularly important in cereals and other grasses. The symptoms include the formation of masses of black soot-like spores, and infected plants often show some degree of distortion.
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MICHAEL ALLABY. "smut." A Dictionary of Ecology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. MICHAEL ALLABY. "smut." A Dictionary of Ecology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O14-smut.html MICHAEL ALLABY. "smut." A Dictionary of Ecology. 2004. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O14-smut.html |
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smut
smut A plant disease caused by a fungus of the order Ustilaginales. Many types of plant can be affected, but smuts are particularly important in cereals and other grasses. The symptoms include the formation of masses of black soot-like spores, and infected plants often show some degree of distortion.
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Cite this article
MICHAEL ALLABY. "smut." A Dictionary of Plant Sciences. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. MICHAEL ALLABY. "smut." A Dictionary of Plant Sciences. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O7-smut.html MICHAEL ALLABY. "smut." A Dictionary of Plant Sciences. 1998. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O7-smut.html |
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smut
smut Group of plant diseases caused by parasitic fungi, also called smuts, that attack many cereals. The diseases are named after the sooty black masses of reproductive spores produced by the fungi. See also parasite
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"smut." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "smut." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-smut.html "smut." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-smut.html |
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smut
smut Group of fungi that attack wheat; includes loose or common smut (Ustilago tritici) and stinking smut or bunt (Tilletia tritici).
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DAVID A. BENDER. "smut." A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. DAVID A. BENDER. "smut." A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O39-smut.html DAVID A. BENDER. "smut." A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition. 2005. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O39-smut.html |
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smut
smut
•abut, but, butt, cut, glut, gut, hut, intercut, jut, Mut, mutt, nut, phut, putt, rut, scut, shortcut, shut, slut, smut, strut, tut, undercut
•sackbut • scuttlebutt • catgut
•midgut • Vonnegut • rotgut • haircut
•offcut • cross-cut • linocut • crew cut
•woodcut • uppercut • chestnut
•hazelnut • peanut • wing nut • cobnut
•locknut • walnut • groundnut
•doughnut (US donut) • coconut
•butternut
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"smut." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "smut." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-smut.html "smut." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-smut.html |
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