Fungi Associated with Sorghum vulgare under Different Storage Conditions in India

Seeds of Sorghum vulgare stored under different conditions were collected to isolate the fungi associated with them. Species of Helminthosporium, Gloeocercospora, Curvularia, Aspergillus and Rhizopus were isolated. It was observed that incidence of fungi was greater in the case of the seeds stored in gunny bags* than with those stored in panicles. Species of the first three fungi were found to cause seed rot as well as seeding blight and the latter two were found to have a detrimental effect on germination of seeds. Seed treatment with Agrosan G.N.** and Ceresan dry at the rate of 2.5 g/kg of seed were found to be most effective in controlling these fungi. An attendant problem of Jowar (Sorghum vulgare) growing is a number of diseases, many of them due to fungi associated with seeds. Investigations were undertaken to discover the fungi associated with seed during storage causing rot of seedlings and methods of their control. Pathogenicity tests and seed treatments with different fungicides were also conducted.