Sorghum Diseases in India

Abstract:
Sweet sorghum varieties resistant to anthracnose
in USA are highly susceptible to the diseases
in Brazil
N. Zummo, Plant Pathologist, Agricultural Research
Service, United States Department of Agriculture,
and Professor, Department of Plant
Pathology and Weed Science, Mississippi State
University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA.
All sweet sorghum varieties (except Tracey)
produced at the USDA Sugar Crops Field Station,
Meridian, MS, have been highly resistant to
anthracnose and red rot incited by Colletotrichutn
graminicola (Ces.) G. W. Wilson. These varieties
have been grown throughout the syrup areas of
USA and have shown no evidence of anthracnose
infection. When the sweet sorghum varieties
Brandes, Theis, Rio, Wray, and Keller were
introduced into Brazil prior to 1987, all were resistant
to C. graminicola. Since 1987, one or more
new races of the anthracnose fungus have appeared
in Brazil and these sweet sorghum varieties
are now highly susceptible. The varieties
retain resistance when grown in USA.
Abstract:
Diseases of sorghum and millet in the breeding
nurseries of Tanzania
H.M. Saadan, Sorghum and Millet Breeder in
Tanzania and graduate student, Department of
Agronomy and Crop Science, Mississippi State
University, and L. Gourley, Agronomist and
Professor, Department of Agronomy and Crop
Science, Mississippi State University, Box 5248,
Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA.
The sorghum and millet disease spectra in
Tanzania are markedly broad, as these crops are
cultivated under wide ranges of environments.
Most of the diseases recorded in breeding nurseries
are commonly found in farmers' fields. Foliar
diseases are sometimes difficult to diagnose
Short Communications
because of overlapping of symptoms of different
diseases on the same leaf.
Diseases observed in areas where sorghum is
grown include stalk rots, charcoal rot, bacterial
soft rot, anthracnose, fusarium stalk rot, leaf
blight, pokkah boeng (twist top) zonate leaf
spot, rust, sooty stripe, oval leaf spot, downy
mildew, virus, bacterial leaf stripe, bacterial leaf
streak, four smuts, ergot and other grain molds.
Diseases commonly found in millet fields include
grain mold smut, ergot, downy mildew,
rust, and leaf spots.
Striga hermonthica and S. asiatica are common,
and S. forbesii occurs in localized areas.
Abstract:
Diseases of finger millet in Uganda
E. Adipala, Department of Crop Science, Makerere
University, Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda
During 1976-84, a study of finger millet diseases
was undertaken at four locations in
Uganda. The most important diseases were leaf
and head blast, Cylindrosporium leaf spot, tar
spot, and bacterial blight. Blast damaged seedlings,
leaves, nodes, necks, and heads, but neck
and head infections were the most damaging.
Cylindrosporium sp caused heavy leaf spotting
leading to a blight. The newly recorded bacterium,
Xanthomonas coracanae Desai et al., killed a
number of lines, but some lines showed no field
symptoms of this bacterium.
Other diseases found on finger millet include
sclerotium wilt {Sclerotium rolfsii), damping-off
(Pythium spp), foot rot (Fusarium sp), Pyrenophora
seedling blight, leaf streak, a stunt disease
resembling the rice stunt virus, and other
Virus-like' infections.
At high altitude (Kalengyene), even the relatively
head blast-resistant lines, like P 304, developed
the disease. The same was noticed in
lines resistant to Cylindrosporium leaf spot, tar
spot, and Helminthosporium leaf spots.
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