Diseases of Sorghum/ Jower - Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench

This chapter provides information on diseases of Sorghum - Sorghum bicolor , their symptoms, pathogen characters, epidemiology, and management. The diseases covered are Crazy top, Leaf blight, Rectangular grey leaf spot, Anthracnose and red rot, Rust, Grain smut, Loose smut, Long smut, Head smut, Ergot, Head mould, Charcoal rot, Bacterial leaf stripe, Bacterial leaf streak, Witch weed, Maize stripe disease, Maize mosaic disease, and Red stripe disease The primary infection is by means of oospores present in the soil which germinate and initiate the systemic infection. Oospores persist in the soil for several years. Secondary spread is by air-borne sporangia. Presence of mycelium of the fungus in the seeds of systemically infected plants is also a source of infection. The root exudates of sorghum stimulate the seeds of the parasite to germinate. The parasite then slowly attaches to the root of the host by haustoria and grows below the soil surface producing underground stems and roots for about 1–2 months.