Did you know plant breeding saved witches?

Boo! Halloween is around the corner. When you see a witch crossing the road these days, it is just someone out enjoying a fun time. In the past, people used to be afraid of witches, which lead to very tragic consequences.

But did you know historians have identified ergot, a fungal disease of cereals, as a possible cause for the infamous Salem witch-hunt in the 17^th Century? Ergot produces a strong natural toxin causing symptoms including psychoses, hallucinations, and convulsions, which can be fatal. It is thought that these symptoms could have led people to believe they were cursed by witches [1]. 

While ergot does not cause severe yield losses in cereals, it must be controlled to avoid contamination. Thanks to breeding of ergot-resistant varieties combined with good agricultural practices, ergot contamination has been drastically reduced. This is supported by EU seed marketing Directives setting standards which must be met before new varieties can be marketed. Countries also conduct official trials to assess the efficacy of new varieties against ergot.

So, these days, with ergotism being a spook of the past, meeting witches on Halloween should send nothing but a gentle shiver down your spine.

[1] Ergot: from witchcraft to biotechnology - Mol Plant Pathol. 2009 PMC | National Library of Medicine