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ARS Home » Plains Area » Lincoln, Nebraska » Wheat, Sorghum and Forage Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #193744
Title: COLONIZATION BY FUSARIUM AND ALTERNARIA SPP. OF SORGHUM GRAIN OF NEAR ISOGENIC LINES VARYING IN PLANT COLOR AND PERICARP COLOR.

Author
item Funnell-Harris, Deanna
item Pedersen, Jeffrey

Submitted to: American Phytopathological Society Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/2006
Publication Date: 6/1/2006
Citation: Funnell, D., Pedersen, J.F. 2006. Colonization by Fusarium and Alternaria spp. of sorghum grain of near isogenic lines varying in plant color and pericarp color. American Phytopathological Society Annual Meeting. 96:S37

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Colonization by Fusarium and Alternaria spp. of sorghum grain of near isogenic lines varying in plant color and pericarp color. Deanna L. Funnell and Jeffery F. Pedersen, Grain, Forage and Bioenergy Research, USDA-ARS; Departments of Plant Pathology (DLF) and Agronomy (JFP), University of Nebraska. Lincoln, 68583-0937. White sorghum grain grown on tan plants is desirable for human or animal consumption. Colonization of field-grown seed by Fusarium and Alternaria spp. was assessed for near isogenic lines differing in wound response (purple or tan) and pericarp color (red or white). For grain grown at an irrigated field, significantly fewer fungal colonies were obtained from white seed grown on tan plants, and fewer numbers of Alternaria colonies were obtained from white seed, regardless of plant color. For seed from a non-irrigated field, there were no significant differences in total numbers of fungi or Alternaria spp., however, fewer Fusarium spp. were isolated from seed grown on purple plants. In greenhouse studies, plant peduncles were inoculated with an Alternaria sp. or a Fusarium moniliforme sensu lato isolate. There were no significant differences in mean lesion lengths following inoculation with Alternaria sp. between the four phenotypes. In most assays, there were no differences in mean lesion lengths when the plants were inoculated with F. moniliforme; in one assay, purple plants with red pericarps had significantly greater mean lesion lengths than the other three phenotypes. The results from this study suggest that plants with white seeds were as resistant to colonization by Alternaria and Fusarium spp. as pigmented lines, but under certain field conditions, grain grown on tan plants may be infected with greater frequency by Fusarium spp. than grain from purple plants.