Charcoal Rot of Sorghum

Charcoal rot of sorghum causedby the fungus ~acrophorfdna phaseolina is a root andstalk rot disease of great destructive potential in most sorghum-growing regions. Improved, highyielding cultivars under good management tend to be very susceptible to the disease. M. phaseolina is a common soilborne, nonaggressive, and plurivorous pathogen that attacks plants whose vigor has been reduced by unfavorable growing conditions. Drought stress is the primary factor that predisposes sorghum to charcoal rot. In diseased roots and stalks, M. phaseolina is often associated with other fungi, suggesting that the disease is of complex etiology. Control by fungicides, cultural practices, and host resistance are briefly discussed, and priority areas for future research are listed.