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ARS Home » Plains Area » College Station, Texas » Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center » Crop Germplasm Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #331459
Title: Effects of inoculation of Fusarium thapsinum and Curvularia lunata on mycoflora of sorghum grain and seed germination

Author
item KATILE, SERIBA - Mali Institute D'Economie
item Prom, Louis
item DIOURTE, MAMADOU - Mali Institute D'Economie
item ROONEY, WILLIAM - Texas A&M University
item MAGILL, CLINT - Texas A&M University

Submitted to: Experiment Station Bulletins
Publication Type: Experiment Station
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/3/2017
Publication Date: 12/1/2016
Citation: Katile, S., Prom, L.K., Diourte, M., Rooney, W.L., Magill, C. 2016. Effects of inoculation of Fusarium thapsinum and Curvularia lunata on mycoflora of sorghum grain and seed germination. Experiment Station Bulletins. 1987(23):39-47.

Interpretive Summary: Grain mold is a fungal disease of sorghum that reduces both the grain yield and quality. Information about the grain molding fungi present on mature seeds will allow sorghum producers to select lines for planting that are resistant to the most frequently recovered species. The study showed that bagged panicles and resistant sorghum lines have less fungal contamination and higher germination than non-bagged panicles and susceptible sorghum lines. This work suggests that planting grain mold resistant lines will increase both seed quality and productivity of sorghum.

Technical Abstract: Grain mold is a major problem in sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]. It is a complex of three phenomena, grain infection by parasites and saprophytes, discoloration and alteration of the quality of the grain, and loss of germination and emergence. Over 40 kinds of fungal genera are associated with grain mold, but only a few species infect floral tissue during grain development. The objective of this study was to identify the different species of fungi present on the grain surface after field inoculation with the two main species of grain molding fungi. The microflora analyses showed a multitude of species of fungi were present in the seed whether or not inoculated with Fusarium thapsinum or Curvularia lunata. The results showed that the most frequently recovered fungal species were F. thapsinum, C. lunata, and Alternaria spp. Other fungal species such as Fusarium semitectum, Aspergillus spp., and Rhizopus spp. were present on the grain surface especially on the non-inoculated and non- bagged plants. Across lines and treatment, mean germination rate was (32.5%). The lowest germination rate was recorded by the susceptible cultivar RTx430 with less than 10%, while the highest rates were obtained on varieties Sureno, SC719-11E, SC748-5, and SC650-11E. The non-inoculated plants and bagged recorded highest germination rates when compared with non-inoculated plants and not bagged.