Fungal Colonization of Stalks and Roots of Grain Sorghum During the Growing Season. Janet E. Reed, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln 68583-0722. James E. Partridge, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln 68583-0722, and Paul T. Nordquist, University of Nebraska, North Platte Station, North Platte 69101. Plant Dis. 67:417-420. Accepted for publication 13 September 1982. Copyright 1983 American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/PD-67-417.

Several fungal species were isolated from stalks and roots of grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) during the 1980 and 1981 growing seasons. Fungi were isolated with increasing frequency from anthesis through the grain-filling period. Fusarium moniliforme was the predominant species recovered from stalks. Several other Fusarium species were also found along with Alternaria spp. and Nigrospora sp. The fungi most commonly isolated from roots were F. equiseti, Trichoderma spp., and Alternaria spp. A similar sequence of colonization was observed in stalk tissue during the two seasons. Roots also appeared to be colonized by fungi in a pronounced sequence.