Last week, the eUpdate featured an article on the appearance of ergot in sorghum, mainly in forage sorghum, in Kansas (https://bit.ly/4pTtEqR). This is a relatively rare event, with notable prior occurrences in 1997 and 2017. Sorghum ergot in the U.S. is caused by the fungus Claviceps africana. Claviceps africana has been reported in Australia, Central America, North America, South America, and South Africa.
Two key points about sorghum ergot:
- Claviceps africana (which infects sorghum) is not the same pathogen that causes ergot (Claviceps purpurea) in wheat, rye, triticale, and fescue.
- We are not aware of any issues with toxicity in the past or present in the US caused by the ergot fungus Claviceps africana that infects sorghum.
Additional information about this fungus is addressed in a Frequently Asked Questions article, written by Dr. Brent Bean, Director of Agronomy for the Sorghum Checkoff. The article is available at: https://www.sorghumcheckoff.com/agronomy-insights/sorghum-ergot-frequently-asked-questions/. This article will be updated if more information becomes available.
Figure 1. Forage sorghum head infected with Sorghum Ergot in Ness County, Kansas. Photo: K-State Research and Extension.
Figure 2. Honeydew has dripped from the plant onto the soil surface. Photo taken in Ness County, Kansas.
Please help us track sorghum ergot!
You can contact Rodrigo Onofre directly at 785-477-0171 if you suspect a field has sorghum ergot and/or submit a sample to the K-State Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab at https://www.plantpath.k-state.edu/extension/diagnostic-lab/documents/2021_PP_DiseaseLabChecksheet.pdf.pdf. This will help us monitor the situation in the state.
Additional resources
- Sorghum ergot has been detected in Kansas: https://eupdate.agronomy.ksu.edu/article/sorghum-ergot-has-been-detected-in-kansas-666-5
- Texas A&M Sorghum Ergot Factsheet:
https://southtexas.tamu.edu/files/2023/05/sorghum-ergot-new-disease-threat-to-the-sorghum-industry.pdf - UNL Sorghum Ergot Factsheet: https://cropwatch.unl.edu/plant-disease/sorghum/ergot/
- Sorghum Ergot: Distinguishing Sphacelia and Sclerotia of Claviceps africana in Seed:
https://cdn-de.agrilife.org/extension/departments/plpm/plpm-pu-021/publications/files/sorghum-ergot-distinguishing-sphacelia-and-sclerotia-of-claviceps-africana-in-seed-.pdf
Rodrigo Onofre, Row Crop Pathologist
onofre@ksu.edu
Lucas Haag, Agronomist-in-Charge at Tribune
lhaag@ksu.edu
Jeanne Falk Jones, Northwest Area Agronomist
jfalkjones@ksu.edu
Logan Simon, Southwest Area Agronomist
lsimon@ksu.edu
Tina Sullivan, Northeast Area Agronomist
tsullivan@ksu.edu
John Holman, Cropping Systems Agronomist
jholman@ksu.edu
Brent Bean, Agronomist, United Sorghum Checkoff
Tags: grain sorghum disease sorghum sorghum ergot forage sorghum