Sporisorium cruentum
loose kernel smut
Sphacelotheca cruenta, Sphacelotheca holci Jackson, Ustilago cruenta
Worldwide
CA
2025-10-24
fungus
-
Main: sorghum; Other: sugarcane
SPHTCR
Sporisorium cruentum is a seed-borne fungus that primarily infects sorghum. It produces dark, powdery teliospores in kernels, spreading the disease via infected seeds. The fungus can also be soilborne, but infection is generally of little field significance, as spores germinate readily under suitable moisture and temperature, and sporidia are short-lived, making survival between seasons unlikely except in very dry soils.
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