Ustilago kamerunensis on Napier grass in Kenya

Abstract

Napier or elephant grass, Pennisetum purpureum Schum., is the major source of fodder for stall-fed dairy cattle in Kenya. In the early 1990s, a new disease, caused by Utilago kamerunensis P. & H. Sydow was reported on the grass. Since there was a lack of information on the general pest and disease status of Napier grass in Kenya, a survey was carried out. The survey confirmed that U. kamerunensis was the major pest and disease threat to Napier grass production in the country, having spread to four districts and occurring in 27% of farm plots sampled. The existence of disease hotspots suggests that the main means of spread is through transport of infected planting material, and that the severity of the disease in Kenya compared with other countries results from an increase in the cultivation of Napier grass over the past decade.