Sorghum Diseases in India

Physiological Races of
Colletotrichum graminicola in Brazil
C.R. Casela 1 , A.S. Ferreira 2 , and R.E. Schaffert 3
Abstract
Annual surveys in Brazil since 1984-85 have indicated the existence of several physiological races,
some high in virulence, of Colletotrichum graminicola. The sorghum research program in Brazil
has been considering the variability of this pathogen in order to select genotypes highly resistant to
anthracnose.
Introduction
Differential reactions of several cultivars in the
National Uniform Sorghum Diseases Nursery in
different years and in different regions of Brazil
suggest existence of pathogenic races of Colletotrichum
graminicola in that South American
nation. The first positive evidence for the existence
of races came from the work of Nakamura
(1982), who identified five races of C. graminicola.
The races were identified by reactions
produced by several single-spore isolates, obtained
from different parts of the country, on the
cvs Tx 2536, Martin, TAM 428, Brandes, SC
170-6-17, and SC 175-14.
Ferreira and Casela (1986) studied single
spore isolates of C. graminicola obtained from infected
plants at seven locations in Brazil and inoculated
on the cultivars Tx 2536, Martin, TAM
428, Tx 430, Brandes, SC 170-6-17, SC 175-14, SC
112-14, Theis, Tx 378, SC 326-6, and SC 283. Differential
interactions between cultivars and isolates
(Table 1) confirmed Nakamura's work.
Casela and Ferreira (In press) recently proposed
a system of nomenclature of races of
C. graminicola in Brazil. In this system, three sorghum
cultivars, Tx 378 (Redlan), SC 326-6, and
Table 1. Reaction of 12 sorghum cultivars to
seven single-spore isolates of Colletotrichum
graminicola. 1
Isolate 2
Cultivar I 1 I 2 I 3 I 4 I 5 I 6 I 7
Tx 2536 S S S S S R R
Tx 398 S S R R R s s
TAM 428 S S S S S s s
Tx 430 S S S s S s s
SC 170-6-17 R R R R S R R
SC 175-14 S S S R s S S
Brandes S S R R S R R
SC 112-14 R S S S s S S
Theis R R R R s S R
Redlan S R S S R R R
SC 326-6 R R S R R R R
SC 283 R R R R R R R
1. S = susceptible, R = resistant.
2. Source of isolates: Sete Lagoas, Minas Gerais: I 1;
Pelotas Rio Grande do sul: I 2; Jatai, Goias: 13;
Capinopolis, Minas Gerais: I 4; Goiania, Goias: I 5;
Quixada, Cearea: 16; and Anapolis, Goias: I 7.
1. Sorghum Breeder for Disease Resistance, National Maize and Sorghum Research Center - EMBRAPA (NMSRC), Sate Lagoas,
Minas Gerais, Brazil
2. Sorghum Pathologist at the above address.
3. Sorghum Pathologist at the above address.
Casela, C.R., Ferreira, A,S., and Schaffert, R.E. 1992. Physiological Races of Colletotrichum graminicola in Brazil. Pages 209-212 in
Sorghum and millets diseases: a second world review, (de Milliano, W.A.J., Frederiksen, R.A., and Bengston, G.D., eds). Patancheru,
A.P. 502 324, India: International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics.
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