A Review of Sorghum Grain Moulds

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Abstract
Traditional sorghum cultivars in the tropics are generally photoperiod sensitive, flowering just as or after the rains cease, so that their grains fill and mature during dry weather. Improved cultivars have been developed which flower and mature earlier in the season, when soil moisture levels are generally more favourable for grain filling, which potentially gives higher grain yields. However, the earlier flowering often results in the exposure of developing grain to wet conditions in which it can deteriorate rapidly. Grain moulds are a major component of the sorghum grain deterioration complex, and have become a widespread problem of improved sorghums in temperate and tropical regions. Many fungi have been isolated from mouldy grain, the most commonly occurring genera being Fusarium and Curvularia, and vary from those such as F. moniliforme Sheldon which are pathogenic on young developing inflorescences, to many saprophytic fungi which develop on the mature grains. The review covers terminology, causal agents, time of infection, predisposing factors, effects on yield and quality, control measures, resistance screening procedures and progress and recommendations for further research particularly in resistance.