Identification of Resistance in Sorghum to Fungal Pathogens and Characterization of Pathogen Population Structure

The primary objectives of this project are enhancement of sorghum productivity by identifying lines with multiple disease resistance genes and utilization of genomic DNA sequence information to assess variability in new and emerging fungal pathogens. Over the next 5 years we will focus on the following objectives. Objective 1: Evaluate national and international sorghum germplasm resources for resistance to anthracnose, grain mold, and head smut diseases. Subobjective 1.A. Identify new sources of resistance to anthracnose within converted and exotic sorghum. Subobjective 1.B. Identify sources of resistance to grain mold. Subobjective 1.C. Identify sources of resistance to pathotypes (P5 and P6) of Sporisorium reilianum, causing sorghum head smut. Objective 2: Determine the population structure of diverse anthracnose (Colletotrichum sublineolum) and head smut (Sporisorium reilianum) isolates utilizing genomic DNA sequencing and phenotypic expression patterns of virulence on host differentials to characterize resistance to these diseases. Subobjective 2.A. Determine the variability of C. sublineolum isolates based on genomic DNA sequencing. Subobjective 2.B. Monitor changing populations and identify new pathotypes of C. sublineolum present in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Subobjective 2.C. Determine genetic variability among diverse isolates of S. reilianum using genomic DNA sequence information. Subobjective 2.D. Identify pathotypes of S. reilianum among head smut isolates collected from different sorghum growing regions in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.