Identification symptoms

Black sooty mold growth of the fungus

Infected Earhead

Honeydew secretion from florets

Symptoms

1. The disease is confined to individual spikelets.

2.Secretion of honey dew (creamy sticky liquid) from infected florets. The honey dew secretion attracts large number of insects and ants which help in spreading the disease.

3. Often the honey dew is colonized by Cerebella sorghivulgaris which gives the head a blackened appearance.

4. Under favourable conditions, grain is replaced by long (1-2cm), straight or curved, cream to light brown, hard sclerotia.

5. At the base of the affected plants white spots can be seen on the soil surface, denoting the drops of honey dew which had fallen on the soil.