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ABSTRACT

Charcoal rot of sorghum stem blight by M. Phaseolina (Tassi) Goid, is favoured by warm dry growing conditions and is often associated with drought stress although charcoal rot disease has been found under humid tropic conditions M. Phaseolina can infect a braod array of major crops including common bean, maize, soya bean, cotton, seasame. The common name of the disease caused by M. Phaseolina derived from the symptoms present in adult plants where stem tissues show the growth of numerous microsclerotia and pycnidia. The severity of the disease is directly related to the population of viable sclerotia in the soil. So the study of Histopathology in Rajasthan area were carried out on healthy and diseased sorghum roots and stem pieces in order to find out the precise position of pathogen, its mode of penetration into host tissue, and damage caused as a result of its invasion in plants. Histopathological changes taking place within the tissues and vascular region of root and stem were also recorded. Sorghum bicolor (L) Moench is a monocot plant belonging to the Poaceae (Graminae) family. The anatomical characters of the root and stem are typical of Monocot plant.

KEYWORDS : M.phaseolina, Charcoal Rot, Histopathological studies

Sorghum is a genus with many species and sub species and there are several types of sorghum, including grain sorghum, grass sorghums (for pasture and hay) sweet sorghum (for syrups) and Broom Corn. It ranks fifth among the cereal grains in extent of production after wheat, Rice, Maize & Barley. It is mainly cultivated in the states Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Chennai, Rajasthan, & U.P. Sorghum is grown primarily for the use in human food (either directly or after brewing) and as a grain for animal feed. In the world about 500 million people depend upon sorghum for food. Increasing pressures of population growth on food supplies necessitate the attention towards realizing fully the potential of this crop which fills a unique and highly significant place in many social, ecological and climatic situation. It may be the only or atleast the principal viable alternative for providing the staple food for local diet. (Mayeketal.,1997,1997c,2002a&2002c).

Sorghum requires less moisture for growth than other cereals. It is grown where rainfall ranges 500 to...

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