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Date: December 12, 2007
Source: ReliefWeb [edited]
<http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/RMOI-79U359?OpenDocument>

Above-normal rains in northeastern Uganda between July and September 2007 caused floods and water logging leading to crop losses, damage to infrastructure, reduced access and at least one human death.

In Karamoja [sub-region of Northern Region], a combination of hazards during the single April to October 2007 season resulted in low harvests and limited replenishment of household food stocks. The 2007 rains started in May, one month late, and were followed by a dry spell until August 2007, when above-normal rains returned and caused low plant pollination and water logging. Incidence of honey dew, striga (a parasitic weed) and sorghum smut disease, as well as sorghum stalk borer, also contributed to the region's poor crop performance.

As a result, household food stocks may not last through the 1st quarter of 2008, and it is likely that the hunger period will begin in February or March 2008, one to 2 months earlier than usual. Cereal prices in Karamoja are also rising, up to 30 to 50 percent above average in some areas. Food insecurity is expected to increase for these populations in the 1st quarter of 2008.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>

[Smuts are a group of fungi causing symptoms of spore-filled galls (sometimes resembling distorted leaf-like structures) on leaves or seed heads of a number of cereal hosts. They are spread by wind, rain and with infected plant material. A number of smut diseases occur on sorghum, reducing both the grain yield and forage value, which are caused by different fungi: covered kernel smut (caused by _Sporisorium sorghi_), loose kernel smut (caused by _Sporisorium cruentum_), head smut (caused by _Sphacelotheca reiliana_), and long smut (caused by _Tolyposporium ehrenbergii_ and some other _Tolyposporium_ species). The kernel smuts can be controlled by fungicide seed treatments; head smut and long smut may be controlled by growing resistant varieties. All 4 smuts are present in Africa, but their patterns of incidence, severity and distribution vary in different regions. These smuts are economically important and continue to be a major biotic constraint in the effort to sustain high sorghum production levels. It is not obvious from the report which pathogen(s) are responsible for the current problems in Uganda.

The term "honeydew" mentioned in the report describes a sugary exudate which may be due to insects but is also a diagnostic symptom of ergot. Ergots are species of the toxin-producing fungal genus _Claviceps_, which affect a number of cereal crops. In Africa, ergot of sorghum is caused by _C. africana_. It is an important disease of this crop in many areas, with losses of up to 80 percent reported. It is readily identified by the honeydew oozing from the flowers, which is not as sticky as that produced by aphids. The developing seed is replaced by a fungal growth which eventually hardens to a creamy-coloured sclerote (ergot). These ergots are toxic to cattle, pigs and chickens, and the honey dew causes harvesting problems.
Disease management includes cultural practices and the use of resistant cultivars. It is possible, but not certain, that ergot may be responsible for the "honeydew" problem described in the above report.

Maps
Uganda:
<http://unimaps.com/uganda/mainmap.gif> and <http://healthmap.org/promed?v=1.3,32.4,6>
Uganda regions and districts:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Districts_of_Uganda>
Location of Karamoja:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karamoja>

Pictures
Head smut on sorghum:
<http://aes.missouri.edu/delta/muguide/g4356_8.jpg>
Loose kernel smut:
<http://www.ksda.gov/includes/images/plant_protection/Plant%20Disease/LooseKernalSmut103.jpg>
Covered kernel smut:
<http://www.ipm.uiuc.edu/diseases/series200/rpd208/208-1.gif>
Long smut:
<http://www.tropix.co.uk/images/Thumbs/NIG_DD3_04.jpg>
African ergot with honey dew on sorghum:
<http://www.ksda.gov/includes/images/plant_protection/Plant%20Disease/Ergot98.jpg>
and
<http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/images/PlantIndustries_FieldCropsAndPasture/Sorghum-ErgotOnSeedHeads-350_rdax_250x180.jpg>

Links
Head, covered and loose kernel smut information:
<http://ipm.uiuc.edu/diseases/series200/rpd208/index.html>
Information on long smut:
<http://www.larsen-twins.dk/34sorghu.html>
Information on sorghum ergot and head smut:
<http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/cps/rde/xchg/dpi/hs.xsl/26_4738_ENA_Print.htm>
Sorghum smuts in West Africa:
<http://www.haworthpress.com/store/ArticleAbstract.asp?ID=6802>
Information on _C. africana_ and other ergots:
<http://www.apsnet.org/online/feature/ergot/0218-01F.pdf>
_Sporisorium sorghi_ taxonomy:
<http://www.speciesfungorum.org/Names/NamesRecord.asp?RecordID=225005>
_Sporisorium cruentum_ taxonomy:
<http://www.speciesfungorum.org/Names/NamesRecord.asp?RecordID=105795>
_Sphacelotheca reiliana_ taxonomy:
<http://www.speciesfungorum.org/Names/NamesRecord.asp?RecordID=195976>
_Tolyposporium ehrenbergii_
<http://www.speciesfungorum.org/Names/NamesRecord.asp?RecordID=120371>
_Claviceps africana_ taxonomy:
<http://www.speciesfungorum.org/Names/NamesRecord.asp?RecordID=355279>
- Mod.DHA]

[see also in the archive:
Ergot & stripe rust, cereals - USA (MT) 20070706.2144
2001
----
Ergot, sorghum - USA (Florida) 20011124.2876 Sorghum ergot isolates: EPPO report 20001215.2197 2000
-----
Smut disease, sorghum - Sudan 20000121.0099
1999
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Claviceps africana, first report - India 19990812.1397 Sorghum ergot - Mexico, USA 19990514.0783
1997
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Sorghum ergot - Australia 19970905.1908
Sorghum ergot spreading - Americas 19970725.1562 Sorghum ergot (05) 19970502.0898 Sorghum ergot (04) 19970430.0879 Sorghum ergot (03) 19970429.0868 Sorghum ergot (02) 19970303.0474 Sorghum ergot - Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, 19970228.0460]

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