Prevalence and severity of sorghum leaf blight in the sorghum growing areas of Central Sudan

Turcicum leaf blight, though a common sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) disease in Sudan, there is little documented information on its occurrence and distribution in the country. Accordingly, a survey was commenced in 2014 with the objectives to quantify the intensity of Turcicum leaf blight in central Sudan, a major sorghum growing area in the country. The results indicated presence of leaf blight in all locations (100%) with incidence 65-100% and severity ranging between 45 - 85% in the 45 fields inspected. The highest disease incidence (100%) was observed in Sennar, Gedarif and Central and South Gezira districts while the lowest was observed in Khartoum district. Disease severity did not follow the same trend and the lowest (45%) was recorded in Shambat (Khartoum district), North Gezira and Sennar. The highest severity was observed in Elrahad (Gedarif district) (100%). All 11 sorghum varieties preferred and grown by farmers in central Sudan were affected by Exserohilum Turcicum in all sorghum cultivating districts. These results suggest that leaf blight was important in the study area, and probably in other sorghum growing regions of Sudan.