(1873) Ustilago tulasnei J.G.Kühn (1874) Sporisorium sorghi, commonly known as sorghum smut,[1] is a plant pathogen that belongs to the Ustilaginaceae family.

[8] Missing or distorted spikelets covered in sori on the sorghum panicles also indicate signs of infection in rare instances.

Because spore formation occurs as seedlings mature, S. sorghi attempts to avoid environments that allow the plants to grow rapidly and escape infection.

[6] Warm, wet soils outside of this temperature range (15.5-33.2 degrees C) have been shown to decrease the incidence of seedling infection.

A variety of other factors such as host variability and depth of seedling sowing also affect the prevalence at which infection occurs.

[6] Sorghum grains are found in all regions of the world as they act as a major food crop for both humans and livestock in areas with little precipitation and high temperatures.

Asia and Africa combined account for more than 80% of sorghum production in the world, making these two continents especially susceptible to S. sorghi infection.

[7] Knowing this information will be beneficial for the early detection of S. sorghi and the implementation of more effective control measures.

Currently, covered kernel smut and S. sorghi are controlled by using protectant fungicides to treat infected seeds.

This method is very effective, reliable, and simple as it prevents the fungi from being introduced into an uninfected field of sorghum.

[11] S. sorghi spores can live in the soil for long periods of time so rotation of crops every four years is another method of control.

Planting the sorghum kernels in 15.5-32 degree Celsius soil further serves as a preventative measure that limits S. sorghi germination.

Release of teliospores following sori membrane rupturing causes spores to contaminate other plants and nearby soils.

[8] Small-scale farms and developing countries tend to have more restricted use of fungicides, and therefore see a greater incidence of S. sorghi infection.