The fallowing methods are used for controlling the smut diseases. The methods of control of smut disease depend upon the type of infection.
1) By destroying infected parts: The smut disease can be controlled by plucking the infected parts and burning them before the teleurospores are fully ripe to be dispersed by wind.
2) Hot water treatment: In some smuts, e.g., loose smuts of wheat and barley, the infection is seed born and hence the treatment to external surface of the seed is useless. A Danish investigator, Jensen(1888), developed a method known as hot water treatment. This method was first used against loose smut of wheat by Swingle in 1892. A number of modification of this method since its discovery have been suggested by Luthra and Sattar(1934). In this method the seed is soaked in a ordinary water for 4-5 hours. This induces the dominant mycelium to germinate. Now these presoaked seeds are put in hot water(50 degree Celsius) for 7 minutes. After this the seeds are dried and stored till sowing. Extreme care should be taken during this treatment so as to avoid embryo injury. The hot water kill the mycelium of the fungi or any other microbes which avoid the disease growth in the plantlet.
3) Solar heat treatment: This is a modification of a above method and has been devised by Luthra, in 1953 and Bedi, 1957. It is used in such regions where summer temperature is very high before the spring season. This method, which is commonly used in Punjab, Haryana etc. The disease is controlled with the help of solar energy. In the method, the suspected seeds are soaked in water for 4 hours(8am to 12noon) on a bright summer day. After soaking, the seeds are spread and dried in the sun from 12 noon to 4 pm. During this process, the germinating dormant hyphae of the disease causing fungi are killed and the seeds are dried at the same time. According to Bedi(195), only one hour exposure to solar rays is sufficient for killing intra-seminal mycelium and rest of the exposure to the sun rays constitute the drying process.
4) Use of fungicides: In extremely seed born infection types, the disease can be controlled by using fungicides. The common fungicides used are, Sulphur, copper sulphate, formalin, etc.
5) Crop rotation: The rotation with other crop is also employed as a measure of control.
6) Resistant varieties: The breeding of resistant varieties is the best method of controlling the smut disease.
7) Integrated Crop Management(ICM): ICM also help for avoiding and controlling the spread of smut disease in the crop.