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    Ergot

Ergot in rye

(Claviceps purpurea)

Meaning

In an ergot infection, damage is manifested not so much by a yield reduction as by the presence of toxic alkaloids in the sclerotia. High stocking in the crop limits commercialisation for both human nutrition and feed use. Above a limit value of 0.1% in fodder rye and 0.05% in bread rye, selling the product is no longer allowed or is allowed only at discount prices.

Main symptoms

The ergot pathogen (Claviceps purpurea) forms yellowish sticky drops (honeydew) on individual fruits during flowering. Later, the dark purple or even white horn-shaped ergots appear, which develop instead of the cereals. They can range from a few millimetres up to six centimetres in size.