This article is a list of diseases of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor).
Bacterial
Bacterial diseasesBacterial leaf spotPseudomonas syringaeBacterial leaf streakXanthomonas campestris pv. holcicolaBacterial leaf stripeBurkholderia andropogonis
Fungi
Fungal diseasesAcremonium wiltAcremonium strictum Cephalosporium acremoniumAnthracnose (foliar, head, root and stalk rot)Colletotrichum graminicola Glomerella graminicola [teleomorph]Charcoal rotMacrophomina phaseolinaCrazy top downy mildewSclerophthora macrospora Sclerospora macrosporaDamping-off and seed rotAspergillus spp. Exserohilum spp. Fusarium spp. Penicillium spp. Pythium spp. Rhizoctonia spp. and other species.ErgotSphacelia sorghi Claviceps sorghi Fusarium head blight, root and stalk rotFusarium moniliforme Gibberella fujikuroi [teleomorph] Other Fusarium spp.Grain storage moldAspergillus spp. Penicillium spp. and other species.Gray leaf spotCercospora sorghiLatter leaf spotCercospora fusimaculansLeaf blightSetosphaeria turcica Exserohilum turcicum [anamorph] Helminthosporium turcicumMilo disease (Periconia root rot)Periconia circinataOval leaf spotRamulispora sorghicolaPokkah Boeng (twisted top)Gibberella fujikuroi var. subglutinans Fusarium moniliforme var. subglutinans [anamorph]Pythium root rotPythium graminicola Other Pythium spp.Rough leaf spotAscochyta sorghiRustPuccinia purpureaSeedling blight and seed rotColletotrichum graminicola Exserohilum turcicum Fusarium moniliforme Pythium aphanidermatum Other Pythium spp.Smut, covered kernelSporisorium sorghi Sphacelotheca sorghiSmut, headSphacelotheca reiliana S. holci-sorghiSmut, loose kernelSporisorium cruentum S. cruentaSooty stripeRamulispora sorghiSorghum downy mildewPeronosclerospora sorghi Sclerospora sorghiTar spotPhyllachora sacchariTarget leaf spotBipolaris cookei Helminthosporium cookeiZonate leaf spot and sheath blightGloeocercospora sorghi
Nematodes
Nematodes, parasiticAwlDolichodorus spp.Dagger, AmericanXiphinema americanumLesionPratylenchus spp.NeedleLongidorus africanus and other speciesPinParatylenchus spp.ReniformRotylenchus spp.RingCriconemella spp.Root-knotMeloidogyne spp.SpiralHelicotylenchus spp.StingBelonolaimus longicaudatusStubby-rootParatrichodorus spp. Paratrichodorus minorStuntTylenchorhynchus spp. Merlinius brevidens
Viruses Viral diseasesMaize chlorotic dwarfMaize chlorotic dwarf virusMaize dwarf mosaicMaize dwarf mosaic virusSugarcane mosaicSugarcane mosaic virus
Phytoplasma Viral diseasesYellow sorghum stuntYellow sorghum stunt phytoplasma
Insects Insect pests include:
Root feeders White grubs Holotrichia serrata Lachnosterna consanguinea wireworms (Elateridae, Tenebrionidae) underground burrowing bugs, Stibaropus spp. termites Odontotermes spp. Microtermes sp. ants Monomorium salomonis Pheidole sulcaticeps
Seedling pests shoot fly, Atherigona soccata cutworm, Agrotis ipsilon
Stem borers and leaf feeders spotted stalk borer, Chilo partellus pink borer, Sesamia inferens armyworm, Mythimna separata Spodoptera exempta caterpillars Amsacta albistriga, Amsacta lactinea, Euproctis virguncula, Cnaphalocrocis patnalis, and Mocis frugalis chrysomelid leaf beetles Chaetocnema indica, Longitarsus spp., and Phyllotreta chotonica ash weevil Myllocerus undecimpustulatus maculosus grasshoppers, Nomadacris septemfasciata, Acrida exaltata, Aiolopus longicornis, Aiolopus simulatrix, Aiolopus thalassinus, Atractomorpha crenulata, Chrotogonus hemipterus, Diabolocatantops axillaris, Hieroglyphus banian, and Hieroglyphus nigrorepletus grasshopper Conocephalus maculatus (eastern India) grasshopper Hieroglyphus nigrorepletus (western India)
Sucking pests shoot bug Peregrinus maidis (transmits two viral diseases, maize mosaic virus (MMV) and maize stripe virus (MStpV)) corn aphid Rhopalosiphum maidis sugarcane leafhopper Pyrilla perpusilla hemipterous bugs, Cletus punctiger, Dolycoris indicus, Empoasca flavescens, Lygaeus spp., Menida histrio, Nephotettix virescens, and Nezara viridula thrips, especially Caliothrips indicus, Sorghothrips jonnaphilus
Earhead pests sorghum midge Stenodiplosis sorghicola earhead bug Calocoris angustatus bugs, like Dysdercus koenigii and Nezara viridula lepidopteran caterpillars are found feeding on developing grains: Autoba silicula, Cryptoblabes gnidiella, Cydia spp., Conogethes punctiferalis, Ephestia cautella, Eublemma spp., Euproctis limbata, Euproctis subnotata, Helicoverpa armigera maize cob borer Stenachroia elongella, especially in east India beetle species, Chiloloba acuta, Mylabris pustulata, and Cylindrothorax tenuicollis
Grain pests Sitophilus spp. (attacks stored grains)
Africa The following pest species are reported for sorghum crops in northern Mali.
Atherigona soccata (sorghum shoot fly, a major pest): The larvae cut the growing point of the sorghum leaf. Agonoscelis pubescens is also reported as a sorghum pest. Busseola fusca (maize stem-borer; Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) attacks maize and sorghum, and occurs especially at higher altitudes. It is a common pest in East Africa, but has also spread to West Africa. Chilo partellus (spotted stem-borer; Lepidoptera, Crambidae): introduced, from East Africa but spreading. The larvae attack sorghum and maize. Present at low and mid altitudes. Contarinia sorghicola (sorghum midge or cecidomyie du sorgho in French; Diptera, Cecidomyiidae): The adult resembles mosquitoes. Larvae feed on developing ovaries of sorghum grains. Melanaphis sacchari (sugar cane aphid) attacks sorghum.
Sitophilus zeamais (maize weevil) and Sitotroga cerealella (Angoumois grain moth) attack stored sorghum and maize.
See also List of insect pests of millets List of pearl millet diseases
References
Common Names of Diseases, The American Phytopathological Society (APS)