International Journal of Agricultural Research and Review

Epidemiology of Ustilago scitaminea (Syd.): I. Collateral Hosts in Central Clay Plains of the Sudan

Abstract

Accepted 8^th May, 2015

 

A nursery experiment was conducted at the Sugarcane Research Centre, Guneid; (Lat. 15^oN, long. 33^oE) from 2007/08 to 2009/2010. The objectives were to determine the host range of Ustilago scitaminea (Syd.), the causal agent of sugarcane smut disease under conditions of the central clay plains of the Sudan. Members from the Poaceae 13 spp. (both crop and weed species); Cyperaceae 3 spp. and Typhaceae, a single species were tested by artificially inoculating by the dip method for vegetatively propagated subjects and moist seed contamination when seeds were used. In all the tested plant families and species, no single test plant species was infected. Thus, this imply a narrow host range for Ustilago scitaminea (Syd.) and tentatively, indicates that, weeds do not play any important role in the seasonal carry-over and perpetuation of sugarcane smut disease in the Central clay plains of the Sudan.

 

Keywords: Central clay plains; collateral hosts; epidemiology; sugarcane smut; Sudan, Ustilago scitaminea

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2 Philip W. Marchelo-d’Ragga and 1Ahmed O. Ahmed on Google Scholar 2 Philip W. Marchelo-d’Ragga and 1Ahmed O. Ahmed on Pubmed 1 on Google Scholar 1 on Pubmed