What are the symptoms of Stripe Smut?

• A. Infected blades are pale green with long black streaks
• B. Blades show yellowing with white stripes
• C. Leaves curl up in drought
• D. Plants wilt with red lesions

Answer: (A)

Stripe smut shows up as pale green leaf tissue with long, black streaks along the blades where the spores have accumulated. That distinctive pattern—pale tissue with dark, linear streaks—is what makes this disease identifiable, so it matches the described symptom most closely. Other options describe conditions that aren’t characteristic of stripe smut: yellowing with white stripes points to chlorosis or another leaf disease, leaves curling in drought reflect abiotic water stress, and wilting with red lesions suggests a different pathogen or disease symptom. The key clue here is the long black streaks along the blades, which are the hallmark of stripe smut.