Dr. Kevin Korus: Corn Smut, a Disgusting Disaster or a Delicious Delicacy?

Yahoo News! ^ | April 17, 2022 | Dr. Kevin Korus

[nickcarraway]

Have you ever gleefully walked into your garden, anxiously anticipating your early summer sweet-corn harvest, only to find that your ears have been replaced with a large, gray mass? Do not fret; this is a very common fungal plant pathogen called smut. Corn smut occurs most often on the ear, but also can show up on the stalk, leaves and even the tassel of corn plants. The large, gray tumor that replaces the corn kernels or even the entire ear of corn is the fungus’ fruiting body, which gives rise to its reproductive spores. When the fruiting body first develops, it is a solid mass of off-white or gray tissue. When the fruiting body is mature, however, it becomes filled with thousands of tiny, black teliospores. The tumor eventually erupts, and these spores are wind-blown or rain-splashed onto other plants. They then germinate, mate and create infection filaments that can continue the disease cycle.

There isn’t much that can be done to prevent corn smut. The disease is favored by physical wounding on the ears. Increasing space between plants can help reduce bruising and wounds on the ears from when they knock into each other during periods of high wind. However, the fungus can actively penetrate leaf tissues via an appressorium, so wounding is not necessary for infection. Preventative fungicides can help reduce disease incidence but are rarely used to combat this fungus due to its unpredictable nature.

Although this fungus looks rather unappealing, it is quite delicious! I do not — and cannot — recommend harvesting and preparing this fungus yourself; however, if you are ever in a restaurant that serves huitlacoche, give it a try! Huitlacoche is the Spanish word for corn smut. Long ago the people of Mexico discovered the delicious nature of this fungal plant pathogen

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

It was in my fathers corn. He knew this, but I do not recall if we cooked it! (Ethnically he tended more toward butter, pork, potatoes, potato sausage, and fish!)

[Rebelbase]

Don’t ever tell a hard of hearing family member that you like corn smut.

[Georgia Girl 2]

Can’t wait. 🙄

[JimRed]

Buy it at a restaurant but don’t prepare it on your own? Sounds like New Jersey marijuana! Legal to buy it (and pay tax) but illegal to grow your own.

[Augie]

I’ve been hungry, but not that hungry.

Corn smut is in the top three on the List of Things That Augie Don’t Eat, along with mcdonald’s and taco bell.

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Augie; I tried it once but there was not much I was young and I do not remember what I thought. There is not a big supply of it around here. My father (a carpenter) knew about this 50 years ago, but his corn (when he grew it) was generally pretty clean.

https://www.eater.com/2016/10/4/13163452/rick-bayless-huitlacoche-mushroom

https://youtu.be/gUtAalD77vU?t=134

Rick Bayless calls them Corn Truffles here which makes them sound a lot more appealing.

(Some people eat squirrel and possum. I have a hard time seeing myself that hungry!)

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

I’d try it!