Responses of sorghum genotypes to leaf anthracnose ( Colletotrichum graminicola) under field conditions in Burkina Faso

Abstract

Development of leaf anthracnose, caused by Colletotrichum graminicola (Ces.) Wils. was monitored on 14 sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) genotypes in the 1994 and 1995 rainy seasons in fields at two locations in Burkina Faso, at Farako-Bâ and Niangoloko, and in 1995 at Saria. Disease severity was assessed at 10 day intervals from August until the middle of October using a 1–6 scale, on the basis of disease severity data of five observations. The area under disease progress curves (AUDPCs) were calculated for each genotype. None of the genotypes showed resistant reactions; four: Gnonfing, Sariaso 10, Siripé 1, and ICSV 1002 BF, were moderately resistant with low AUDPC values. Results from these studies indicate that there is no large variability among the pathogen populations at these locations. Hence, for further research, evaluations of sorghum germplasm for resistance to C. graminicola should be conducted at Farako-Bâ and Niangoloko, where conditions are more conducive to high disease pressure than at Saria.