Ergot inoculum production for research: a simpler approach

Ergot, caused by the fungus Claviceps purpurea, affects cereal crops such as wheat, barley, and rye. Producing ergot inoculum for research purposes and screening breeding materials for resistance has been a time-consuming and labor-intensive process. We aimed to modify the existing inoculum production process used by the wheat pathology and breeding programs at AAFC-Swift Current. We developed a simpler and more efficient inoculum production method that yields consistent results. This paper presents this innovative approach to ergot inoculum production method.