Smut

Caused by: Tolyposporium penicillariae Bref.
Problem Category: Fungal Disease
Symptoms: Smut is a disease of pearl millet grain-bearing heads (inflorescences) that can significantly reduce grain yields, wherever the crop is grown. Infected florets develop as plump sacs or sori, initially green in colour and then turning dark brown or black as the sori mature. The sori are filled with black spores of the causal fungus, hence the name smut.
Comments: Biology and epidemiology: Individual florets are infected by air-borne spores of the causal fungus when the inflorescences are at the protogynous stage. i.e. when the stigmas have emerged before pollination has occurred. Mature spores released from the sori when the crop is threshed are mixed with seed from non-infected florets, and these are the source of infection for the subsequent crop.
Management: Smut is best managed by the use of resistant cultivars.
Control: spray 2 times 5% Cowdung+Asafoetida solution in 10 days interval.