Abstract:
Pearl millet seeds samples collected from Kordofan,
Gezira ,Gedarif and Damazin States were investigated for seed-
borne fungi. The methods used were: the dry inspection method,
the Blotter method, the Agar Plate Method and the washing test
method. The dry inspection method revealed an average of 6.10
% discolored seeds,% 6.25 malformed seeds and 3.8% damaged
seeds for all samples. The samples were tested as normal and
discolored seeds. Sixteen fungal species were isolated from
pearl millet i.e. four Drechslera species: Drechslera sp; D.
halodes;D. rostarata and D. holmii. Three Aspergillus species:
A. flavus; A. nidulans and A. niger. Two Fusarium spe ies: F.
oxysporum and F. moniliforme. In addition to Alternaria
alternata, Auerobasidium pullular, Rhizopus sp, Curvularia
lunata,Penicillium sp, Phoma sp , Cladosporium oxysporum
and Macrophomina sp.
This is the first report of the following fungi to be isolated from
millet D. halodes, D. holmii, Fusarium oxysporum,
Aureobasidium pullulans and Cladosporium oxysporum.
The most important pathogens of millet were also not reported
in this study Cercospora fusimaculans, Pyricularia grisea,
Tolyposporium penicillariae Sclerospora graminicola, Puccinia
penneiseti, Tolyposporium ehrenbergii and Gleocercospora
sorghi.
v
All the sixteen fungi were reported using the Blotter method,
while only nine were reported using the agar plate method. The
blotter method proved better than the agar plate method for
testing for seed-borne fungi in pearl millet. The incidence of
pathogenic fungi increased over saprophytic fungi when
chlorine was used to surface disinfect the seeds.
A pest Risk Analysis was carried out for the fungal pathogens
not known to be reported in the Sudan to evaluate the risk of
their introduction with seeds of pearl millet. The pathogens are
Gloeocercospora sorghi, Pyricularia grisea, Myrothecium
roridum, Phyllachora penniseti, Plasmopara penniseti,
Dactuliophora elongate and Sphacelia sorghi. All of them are
not known to be seed transmitted expect Sphacelia sorghi. There
is a very low risk to be introduced with imported seeds for
planting. Sphacelia sorghi has a medium risk to be introduced
with seeds. The risk can be mitigated by importing from disease
free areas or by chemical treatment.
