Ergot (Noun)
Meaning 1
A plant disease caused by the ergot fungus.
Classification
Nouns denoting natural processes.
Examples
- The ergot fungus infected the rye crop, causing significant damage to the yield and quality of the grain.
- Farmers in the region struggled to control the spread of ergot, which had become a persistent problem in their fields.
- The ergot-infected plants were easy to identify due to their distinctive purple or black coloration.
- Researchers studied the effects of ergot on cereal crops, looking for ways to prevent the fungus from taking hold.
- The presence of ergot in the grain supply posed a significant risk to human health, as it contained toxic compounds that could cause serious illness.
Meaning 2
A fungus that infects various cereal plants forming compact black masses of branching filaments that replace many grains of the plant; source of medicinally important alkaloids and of lysergic acid.
Classification
Nouns denoting plants.
Examples
- The ergot fungus infects rye and other grains, causing significant damage to crops and posing a risk to human health if ingested.
- Ergot has been used in traditional medicine for centuries, particularly in the treatment of migraines and other vascular disorders.
- The discovery of lysergic acid in ergot led to the development of LSD, a powerful psychedelic substance.
- Ergot alkaloids have been shown to have a range of medicinal properties, including vasoconstriction and anti-inflammatory effects.
- Historically, ergot poisoning was a significant public health concern, particularly in medieval Europe where it was known as "St. Anthony's Fire".