also: くろぼびょう
smut; bunt; dustbrand
A fungal disease of cereal plants, producing black powdery spores on the ears or grains. Technical agricultural term.
Wheat smut is a disease where the ears become covered with black powder.
Standard kanji spelling for the plant disease.
Alternate reading; both くろほびょう and くろぼびょう are used.
Compound of 黒穂 (black ear/spike) and 病 (disease), describing the characteristic blackened grain heads.