Melanism and brown necrosis in wheat
Image by CIMMYT
Wheat spike showing symptoms of melanism and brown necrosis. Melanism occurs as brownish black to dark purple spots, streaks, or blotches on the leaf sheaths, stems, and/or glumes and results from a high production of melanoid pigments in some genotypes. Melanism and brown necrosis may be confused with bacterial black chaff or Septoria glume blotch, hence the alternative name false black chaff.
For more information, see CIMMYT’s Wheat Doctor: wheatdoctor.cimmyt.org/index.php?option=com_content&t….
Photo credit: CIMMYT.