Skip to main content
ARS Home » Plains Area » College Station, Texas » Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center » Insect Control and Cotton Disease Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #409476
Research Project: Molecular and Genetic Approaches to Manage Cotton and Sorghum Diseases

Location: Insect Control and Cotton Disease Research

Title: Reaction of sorghum differentials to grain mold infection in Puerto Rico

Author
item Prom, Louis
item Cuevas, Hugo

Submitted to: American Journal of Plant Sciences
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/4/2023
Publication Date: 11/7/2023
Citation: Prom, L.K., Cuevas, H.E. 2023. Reaction of sorghum differentials to grain mold infection in Puerto Rico. American Journal of Plant Sciences. 14:1207-1213. https://doi.org/10.4236/ajps.2023.1411081.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4236/ajps.2023.1411081

Interpretive Summary: Grain mold is the most significant disease of sorghum, reducing global grain quality and yield by hundreds of millions of dollars on an annual basis. Grain mold is difficult to manage because it may be caused by several species of fungi. Thus, the use of fungi-resistant lines is considered the most practical and economical approach for managing the disease. In this study, 23 sorghum lines were evaluated for grain mold resistance, seed weight, and germination rate. The work identified two lines (BTx643 and IS18760) that were substantially resistant to grain mold. The two lines also possessed the heaviest seed weights and highest germination rates, suggesting these two lines would be excellent candidates for breeders to develop new grain mold resistant sorghum lines and hybrids.

Technical Abstract: Grain mold, associated with many fungi is the most important disease of sorghum, causing both yield and quality losses. In this study, 23 sorghum differentials used in pathotype characterization of anthracnose and head smut pathogens were evaluated for grain mold resistance under favorable conditions in Isabela, Puerto Rico. Lines BTx643 and IS18760 exhibited the lowest grain mold severity, indicating that these two may possess genes for grain mold resistance. These two lines also recorded the highest germination rates 94.7% and 97.6%, respectively, and their seed weight was among the heaviest. In conclusion, these two lines can be utilized in breeding programs to develop grain mold resistant hybrid and lines.