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Sorghum Diseases in India

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1984, the disease spread to male-sterile sorghum<br />

l<strong>in</strong>es used to develop hybrid seeds <strong>in</strong> Saraburi<br />

Prov<strong>in</strong>ce (the central pla<strong>in</strong> area) (Boon-Long et al.<br />

1984). Male-sterile sorghum was quickly <strong>in</strong>fected,<br />

and the <strong>in</strong>fection developed rapidly. Currently ergot<br />

is the most damag<strong>in</strong>g disease of male-sterile<br />

sorghum. Open-poll<strong>in</strong>ated l<strong>in</strong>es do not become<br />

<strong>in</strong>fected, however. Chemical control was tested<br />

and l<strong>in</strong>es were screened for resistance, but without<br />

success. The ergot hosts were tested by do<strong>in</strong>g<br />

Koch's postulates and cross <strong>in</strong>oculations. These<br />

hosts are <strong>Sorghum</strong> vulgare, S. almum, S. sudanensis,<br />

S. halepense, Dichanthium annulatum, Brachiaria<br />

mutica, and Panicum maximum.<br />

Tar spot<br />

Tar spot, endemic <strong>in</strong> October and November of<br />

1984, caused no yield loss. Dissected <strong>in</strong>fected<br />

leaf tissue (paraf<strong>in</strong> method), sta<strong>in</strong>ed with safran<strong>in</strong><br />

and fast green, showed that Phyllachora<br />

sacchari P. Henn <strong>in</strong>fected only the palisade cells<br />

of leaves and did not <strong>in</strong>fect cells of the vascular<br />

bundle.<br />

Future Plans and Needs for<br />

Collaboration<br />

Thailand's research <strong>in</strong> sorghum diseases will<br />

concentrate on gra<strong>in</strong> mold and ergot. Resistance<br />

nurseries for gra<strong>in</strong> mold will be conducted at<br />

Supanburi Agricultural Research Station and<br />

disease-resistant materials (from ICRISAT and<br />

other parts of the world) will be needed for<br />

these trials. Research on resistance to ergot is<br />

also of high priority Thailand is a tropical country,<br />

and its climate favors anthracnose development,<br />

so we shall have to be careful about this<br />

problem, even though severe damage by anthracnose<br />

is not yet occurr<strong>in</strong>g.<br />

References<br />

Boon-Long, T. 1983. Ergot of Sudan <strong>in</strong> Thailand.<br />

Journal of the Thai Phytopathological Society<br />

4:219-221.<br />

Boon-Long, T., Gl<strong>in</strong>sukorn Thirayudh, and<br />

Chandrasrikul, Anong 1984. Ergot - A new disease<br />

of sorghum <strong>in</strong> Thailand. Agricultural Research<br />

Journal 2:146-150.<br />

Pupipat, U. 1980. <strong>Sorghum</strong> disease <strong>in</strong> Thailand.<br />

Pages 72-73 <strong>in</strong> <strong>Sorghum</strong> diseases, a world review:<br />

proceed<strong>in</strong>gs of the International Workshop<br />

on <strong>Sorghum</strong> <strong>Diseases</strong>, 11-15 Dec 1978,<br />

Hyderabad, <strong>India</strong>. Patancheru, Andhra Pradesh<br />

502 324, <strong>India</strong>: International Crops Research Institute<br />

for the Semi-Arid Tropics.<br />

Thailand: M<strong>in</strong>istry of Agriculture and Cooperatives.<br />

1987. Agricultural Statistics of Thailand,<br />

Crop Year 1986/87. 60-65 pp.<br />

43

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