Sorghum Diseases in India

Table 1. Area ('000 ha) sown to pearl millet and proportion (%) of the total area sown to pearl millet
in 11 southern African countries and Africa, 1969-71,1979-81, and 1984-86. 1
Country
Area
('000 ha)
1969-71 1979-81 1984-86
Proportion
Area
('000 ha)
Proportion
(%)
Area
('000 ha)
Proportion
(%)
Angola
92.3 10
80.0 7
76.7 9
Botswana
19.2 2
11.7 1
9.3 1
Lesotho 0 0 0 0 0 0
Mozambique
19.0 2
20.0 2
20.0 2
Namibia
Swaziland
47.6
0
5
0
58.0
-
5
0
84.9
-
10
2
0
South Africa 28.6 3 19.3 2 18.9 0.2
Tanzania 210.7 22 450.0 42 334.3 39
Zaire 26.6 3 31.4 3 41.0 5
Zambia 127.5 13 53.3 5 20.1 2
Zimbabwe 380.0 40 352.9 33 250.0 30
Total
Eleven African
countries 951.1 1 076.6 855.2
Africa 15 225.4 13 784.0 15 831.3
1. Source: FAO tapes, 1986 (1988); for Namibia and the Republic of South Africa, FAO 1981 (pp. 106-109) and 1986
(pp. 120-121).
2. No information.
food purposes, (2) economic factors, including
subsidies on maize (but not on pearl millet) in
Zambia; (3) food-aid programs in Zimbabwe;
and (4) shortage of seed stocks after several
years of drought.
Grain Yield
Grain yield, i.e., grain harvested per hectare
sown, was generally low, although generally in
line with world pearl millet yields. It fluctuated
at levels less than 1000 kg ha" 1 . Tanzania appeared
to have a steady increase in yield over
the last 15 years (Fig. 1). In Botswana, with its
extended droughts, however, there were very
drastic fluctuations in yield. Tanzania appeared
to have a yield higher than the world mean yield
and the Africa mean yield. Yields tend to be low
because the crop is grown in low-rainfall and
drought-prone areas, on soils of low fertility, by
farmers who cannot afford inputs other than
family manpower. There are no indications,
116
however, that low yields or fluctuations in yield
have occurred because of high disease incidence.
Regular and Occasional Losses
In southern Africa, pearl millet has received
even less research attention than sorghum. Data
about pearl millet yield losses because of diseases
are not available. Consequently I can only
venture suggestions based on disease lists, discussions,
and personal observations (Riley 1960;
Angus 1965, 1966. pp 65-66; Ebbels and Allen
1978; FAO 1972; Peregrine and Siddiqi 1972;
Plumb-Dhindsa and Mondjane 1984; Rothwell
1983; and Botswana: Ministry of Agriculture,
1987).
1. There is little evidence that areas under production
(Table 1) were reduced because of
high disease incidences.
2. National grain yields appear not to have been
reduced because of a specific disease, but