SORGHUM (Jowar)

Grown across 5 million hectares of Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh as a kharif and rabi dryland cereal and high-quality fodder crop.

5 Major Threats and Their Control

For educational purposes only. Recommended crop varieties are location-specific. Always verify chemical and variety recommendations with your local KVK or State Agriculture Department.

1. Shoot Fly

(Atherigona soccata)

The Threat:

  • Shoot fly lays eggs on young seedlings; larvae enter the central shoot within 24–48 hours and kill the growing point.
  • Causes “deadheart” — central leaf dies while outer leaves remain green.
  • Kills plants before tillering, leaving no chance for recovery.
  • In late-sown crops, up to 50% plant loss can occur before tillering.
  • Pest population increases during July–August, so delayed sowing increases risk.

The Solution:

  • Sow early with the onset of monsoon to escape peak infestation.
  • Use tolerant varieties — CSH-16 and CSV-15.
  • Treat seed with Imidacloprid 70 WS @ 7 g/kg for early protection.
  • Remove and destroy deadheart plants promptly.
  • If needed, spray Chlorpyriphos 20 EC @ 2 ml/litre at the seedling base.

2. Stem Borer

(Chilo partellus / Diatraea saccharalis)

The Threat:

  • Stem borer attacks after crop establishment, unlike shoot fly.
  • At vegetative stage, it causes “deadheart” by boring into the stalk.
  • At grain-fill stage, it damages the developing ear.
  • Creates tunnels in the stalk, weakening it and causing lodging during post-monsoon winds.
  • Population peaks under warm, humid conditions after monsoon onset.
  • Causes 8–15% yield loss, higher in late-sown crops.

The Solution:

  • Apply Chlorpyriphos 1.5% DP @ 15 kg/ha into the whorl when deadheart incidence reaches 10% or more.
  • Release Trichogramma chilonis @ 50,000/ha at first moth emergence.
  • Intercrop sorghum with cowpea to reduce egg laying.
  • Avoid delayed sowing to reduce exposure to peak pest activity.

3. Downy Mildew

(Peronosclerospora sorghi)

The Threat:

  • Downy mildew is a systemic disease infecting seedlings through contaminated seed or soil-borne oospores.
  • It colonises the vascular system, turning seedlings into chlorotic, white-sporulating tissue.
  • Secondary spread occurs through airborne spores in humid conditions.
  • Infected seedlings rarely survive to tillering.
  • The disease is primarily seed-borne and spreads through saved infected seed.
  • Can destroy up to 30% of the crop before detection.

The Solution:

  • Treat seed with Metalaxyl 35 WS @ 6 g/kg before sowing.
  • This provides systemic protection during the early seedling stage (3–4 weeks).
  • Use resistant hybrids — CSH-13 and CSH-14.
  • Avoid using seed from infected fields, as infection persists inside the seed.

4. Drought Stress / Terminal Drought

The Threat:

  • Moisture deficit is common in shallow, eroded black soils of the Deccan plateau during poor monsoon years.
  • Soil moisture gets exhausted before completion of grain filling.
  • Causes premature leaf drying, stalk weakening due to charcoal rot, and incomplete grain filling.
  • Results in small, lightweight, and poor-quality grain.
  • Reduces both grain yield (10–35%) and fodder value.
  • It is the most consistent yield-limiting factor in sorghum-growing regions.

The Solution:

  • Grow “stay-green” varieties — ICSV-745 and SPV-1411.
  • Practice in-situ moisture conservation using tied ridges and field bunds.
  • Perform deep ploughing before sowing to improve water-holding capacity.
  • Use sub-soiling (45–60 cm depth) to break hard layers and allow deeper root growth.

5. Charcoal Rot

(Macrophomina phaseolina)

The Threat:

  • Charcoal rot develops under combined heat and drought stress during the grain-fill stage.
  • The fungus infects roots and lower stem, producing black microsclerotia that give a charcoal-grey appearance.
  • Weakens the stalk, causing lodging and making harvest difficult or impossible.
  • Damaged plants also lose fodder value.
  • Can cause around 15% yield loss in drought-affected sorghum fields.

The Solution:

  • Avoid water stress after flowering; provide one protective irrigation at grain initiation if possible.
  • Apply Trichoderma viride @ 4 kg/ha mixed with FYM at sowing.
  • Maintain good soil organic matter; avoid soils with very low organic carbon (<0.5%).
  • Grow tolerant varieties like ICSV-745 in drought-prone areas.
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