Ergot Implications for Texas Producers

Seed Production

Increased Pollination rowa

Increasing the number of pollinating rows for hybrid seed production represents an additional cost.

Increased use of hybrid seed

The production of hybrid seed has already entailed the additional costs of fungicide treatments to protect flowering heads.

Seed Trade

Seed encrusted with honeydew could serve as a means of spreading the pathogen to other growing areas. Seed fungicide treatments can prevent this, however.

Sclerotia (on left) with sorghum seed. The presence of sclerotia raises quarantine and toxicity concerns, but the sclerotia are easily separated from seed and have not been shown to be very toxic.

Seed Quality

Honeydew on sorghum

A high incidence of ergot will not only interfere with harvest, but can lead to reduced quality because the honeydew supports the growth of grain mold fungi.

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