A greenhouse screening technique to assess rust resistance in sorghum∗

Abstract

Abstract Studies were conducted to determine the influence of plant growth stage, inoculum density, temperature, and relative humidity (RH) on development of rust (Puccinia pupurea) in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor). Rust development was maximum (>80% severity), when plants of a susceptible sorghum genotype (IS 18420) were inoculated at the four‐ to five‐leaf stage with an inoculum concentration of 4 × 106 urediniospores per ml and incubated at 20–25°C under high RH (>90%) for 24 h. Disease severity (percentage leaf area covered with rust pustules) scores were taken 2 weeks after inoculation. Using this technique, 29 sorghum genotypes were screened for rust resistance in a greenhouse. This technique proved effective In discerning resistant and susceptible genotypes, and IS 3979, ICSH 110, ICSH 86647 and ICSH 871035 were identified resistant (<20% rust severity) compared with a susceptible control IS 18420 (90% rust severity). This technique is simple and rapid, and can be used effectively and economically to s...