When the wheat was about a foot high, it was sprayed with a fungus called "stem rust of rye," which formed spores that multiplied rapidly.

Extant fungal infections such as Ug99 (a kind of stem rust) can cause 100% crop losses in most modern varieties.

Stakman had also been researching stem rust.

The research attracted global attention, particularly from scientists in grain-growing nations dealing with productivity losses from stem rust.

As of 2005 stem rust was still believed to be "largely under control worldwide except in Eastern Africa".

It can cause up to 100% crop losses and is virulent against many resistance genes which have previously protected wheat against stem rust.

For this reason stem rust is also known as 'black rust'.

None of the Sr genes provide resistance to all races of stem rust.

Carboxin was mainly used to control disease caused by basidiomycetes such as stem rusts and Rhizoctonia diseases.

Puccinia graminis or known commonly as black stem rust.