Survey of the prevalence and incidence of foliar and panicle diseases of sorghum across production fields in Niger

Authors: Prom, Louis; HAOUGUI, ADAMOU - Institut National De La Recherche Agronomique Du Niger (INRAN); ADAMOU, ISSA - Boubakar Ba University Of Tillaberi; ABDOULKADRI, ABDOULAYE - Boubakar Ba University Of Tillaberi; KARIMOU, ISSA - Institut National De La Recherche Agronomique Du Niger (INRAN); ALI, OUTANI BIBATA - Institut National De La Recherche Agronomique Du Niger (INRAN); MAGILL, CLINT - Texas A&M University

Submitted to: Plant Pathology Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/28/2020
Publication Date: 3/5/2020
Citation: Prom, L.K., Haougui, A., Adamou, I., Abdoulkadri, A.A., Karimou, I., Ali, O., Magill, C. 2020. Survey of the prevalence and incidence of foliar and panicle diseases of sorghum across production fields in Niger. Plant Pathology Journal. 19(2):106-113. https://doi.org/10.3923/ppj.2020.106.113.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3923/ppj.2020.106.113

Interpretive Summary: To control diseases, it is important to know their occurrence and distribution in production areas. A survey of 121 farmers' fields in Niger was conducted to assess the presence of the different leaf and panicle diseases. Results showed the presence of 21 different sorghum diseases, including anthracnose, long smut, oval leaf spot, leaf blight, and head smut. The most widely occurring diseases were anthracnose followed by leaf blight. This is the first extensive survey of sorghum diseases in major production regions of the Country. The work is significant because it provides sorghum workers, students, funding and governmental agencies in Niger a guide on the occurrence, distribution, and prevalence of the different sorghum diseases.

Technical Abstract: During the growing season of 2019, the first extensive survey of the occurrence and distribution of foliar and panicle diseases affecting sorghum in farmers' fields from major production regions of Niger was conducted. A total of 121 fields in the regions of Tillaberi, Tahoua, Dosso, and Maradi along paved and unpaved roads, including National and Secondary (RN1, RN2, RN3) were surveyed. In each field, 60 plants at late flowering to hard dough stages of development were assessed arbitrarily using a W-shaped pattern to cover the whole field. Results documented the presence of 21 different sorghum diseases, including anthracnose, long smut, oval leaf spot, leaf blight, head smut, target leaf spot, sooty stripe, covered smut, rough leaf spot, maize dwarf mosaic virus, gray leaf spot, grain mold, loose smut, and zonate leaf spot were present. The most prevalent diseases were anthracnose 99%, leaf blight 89%, oval leaf spot 76%, rough leaf spot 67%, and long smut 63%. The highest mean incidence of anthracnose (64%), leaf blight (62%), and rough leaf spot (35%) was recorded from Maradi, whereas, the regions of Dosso and Tahoua exhibited the highest mean oval leaf spot incidence of 73%. Six fields, one each from the regions of Tillaberi and Maradi, two each from Dosso and Tahoua had 100% anthracnose incidence, two fields from Maradi recorded 100% leaf blight incidence, two fields from Dosso and three fields from the region of Tahoua had 100% of oval leaf spot. The highest incidence of long smut (87%) and zonate leaf spot (80%) was recorded in fields in Kodo and Tara, Dosso region. These locations with high incidence of anthracnose, leaf blight, oval leaf spot, long smut, and zonate leaf spot can be considered 'hot spots' for resistance evaluations. This work is significant because for the first time it provides researchers, students, funding and governmental agencies in Niger a guide on the occurrence, distribution, prevalence, and 'hot spots' for sorghum diseases.