干旱区生态环境知识资源中心

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) is an important cereal crop grown mostly by small-scale farmers in semi-arid areas of Southern Africa. Over 30 diseases have been recorded on sorghum in the region. Of these, ergot (caused by Claviceps africana), anthractiose (caused by Colletotrichum graminicola), leaf blight (caused by Exserohilum turcicum), sooty stripe (caused by Ramulispora sorghi), downy mildew (caused by Peronosclerospora sorghi), grain molds (caused by Fusarium spp., Curvularia lunata, Phoma sorghina, Alternaria spp., Bipolaris spp., and Dreschslera spp.), rust (caused by Puccinia purpurea), covered kernel smut (caused by Sporisorium sorghi), seedling diseases (caused by Fusarium spp., Pythium spp., and Drechslera spp.), and Striga weed are the major constraints to sorghum production. The importance of individual diseases varies by country. New disease records include Pantoea agglomerans and Pseudomonas syringae in pearl millet and sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV) in sorghum.