An overview of the biology of sorghum ergot

Sorghum ergot, caused by Claviceps africana, Claviceps sorghi, or Claviceps sorghicola, was confined to Africa and India before the mid-1990s, but is now found on all continents. Claviceps africana is the most widespread of these pathogens, probably due to its ability to produce airborne secondary conidia. Although more than 70 years of published literature exists on the biology of sorghum ergot, some critical processes remain poorly understood. These processes include survival mechanisms; the production, dispersal, and germination of secondary conidia of C africana; and the interactions between weather parameters and pollen. A concerted, collaborative, international research effort is needed to better understand these processes.