Sorghum Diseases in India
Sorghum Diseases in India
Sorghum Diseases in India
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eases that could be expected to cause problems<br />
when climatic conditions are appropriate. Inoculum<br />
levels of Macrophom<strong>in</strong>a phaseol<strong>in</strong>a are probably<br />
high <strong>in</strong> most soils <strong>in</strong> southern France,<br />
where it is an important pathogen of several<br />
crops, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g sunflower and soybean (Davet<br />
et al. 1986).<br />
Fusarium spp have also been reported caus<strong>in</strong>g<br />
stalk rots of maize throughout France<br />
(Rouhani et al. 1979). Acremonium wilt appears<br />
to be present, at least <strong>in</strong> breeders' nurseries, but<br />
there is no evidence of an important <strong>in</strong>cidence <strong>in</strong><br />
production fields.<br />
Foliar Disease<br />
The Mediterranean summer is characterized by<br />
warm days, cool nights, and low ra<strong>in</strong>fall. Consequently,<br />
one could easily assume that foliar<br />
diseases are not a problem. Last year the author,<br />
search<strong>in</strong>g for foliar diseases, visited several sorghum<br />
fields just before harvest. None were<br />
found.<br />
Viral <strong>Diseases</strong><br />
Maize downy mosaic virus (MDMV) is prevalent<br />
throughout the sorghum-grow<strong>in</strong>g regions of<br />
southern Europe (P. Signoret, personal communication),<br />
and has been reported <strong>in</strong> France, Italy,<br />
and Yugoslavia. MDMV-B probably occurs <strong>in</strong><br />
Yugoslavia (R. Toler, personal communication).<br />
Viruses are currently controlled by resistance<br />
found <strong>in</strong> materials com<strong>in</strong>g from major <strong>in</strong>ternational<br />
seed companies, many of which are active<br />
<strong>in</strong> the region.<br />
Bacterial <strong>Diseases</strong><br />
There are no recent records of bacterial diseases<br />
occurr<strong>in</strong>g on sorghum <strong>in</strong> Europe.<br />
References<br />
Castor, L.L., and Frederiksen, R.A. 1981. Fusarium<br />
head blight occurrence and effects on<br />
sorghum yield and gra<strong>in</strong> characteristics <strong>in</strong> Texas.<br />
Plant Disease 64:1017-1019.<br />
Davet, P., Herbach, M., Rabat, M., and Piquemal,<br />
G. 1986. Effet de quelques facteurs <strong>in</strong>tr<strong>in</strong>seques<br />
ou extr<strong>in</strong>seques d'affaiblissement des<br />
tournesols sur leur sensibilite au dessechement<br />
precoce. Agronomie 6:803-810.<br />
EUROSTAT. 1987. Crop production quarterly<br />
statistics. Brussels, Belgium: CECA-CEE-CEEA.<br />
Gaudet, D.A., and Major, D.J. 1986. Factors affect<strong>in</strong>g<br />
seedl<strong>in</strong>g emergence of sorghum for<br />
short-season areas. Plant Disease 70:572-575.<br />
Rouhani, H., Davet, P., Po<strong>in</strong>so, B., Beyries, A.,<br />
and Messiaen, C.M. 1979. Inventaire et evaluation<br />
du pouvoir pathogene des composants de la<br />
microflore fongique sur rac<strong>in</strong>es de mais en<br />
France. Annales de Phytopathologie 11:69-93.<br />
Ruiz, M. 1979. Recherche d'une technique d'<strong>in</strong>oculation<br />
et du comportement du gra<strong>in</strong> de sorghum<br />
vis-a-vis de quelques moisissures. ENSA,<br />
34060 Montpellier, France: DAA Chaire de Biologie<br />
et Pathologie Vegetales. 43 pp.<br />
Sifaw, M. 1978. Etude de la mycoflore des sentences<br />
du sorgho en France. ENSA Montpellier,<br />
France: D.E.S. 57 pp.<br />
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