Downy Mildew and Ergot of Pearl Millet

Abstract

The average yields of pearl millet in the semi-arid tropics have been stagnating despite the availability of hybrids with high yield potentials. The main reason for this situation is the high degree of susceptibility of hybrids to serious diseases such as downy mildew and ergot. In this paper an attempt has been made to review the present status of knowledge of these diseases and identify the areas of research which need immediate attention. Considerable information is available on the taxonomy and reproduction of the causal fungi but the information on the epidemiology and control is inadequate.