Response and evaluate several grain sorghum cultivars and hybrids to infection by Acremonium strictum the causal of stalk wilt/rot disease

Grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor Linn. Moench), is an important cereal crop that grows well in hot, arid conditions. The purpose of this study was to assess the incidence rate and severity of Acermonium wilt/rot disease, which is caused by the fungus Acermonium strictum, in twelve grain sorghum varieties and hybrids. The stalks of the examined varieties and hybrids were artificially infected using the toothpick method. According to the results, throughout the two seasons of 2022–2023, the Giza-15 variety had the highest disease incidence rate (49.16%, 49.66%) and severity (08.54%, 08.71%) whereas Maka hybrid had the lowest rates by 11.66% and 12.78%, respectively. The reaction of the other hybrids (Shandawil-302, Shandawil-303, Shandawil-304, Poplar, Ahmose, Sohag-1, Sohag-2, and Sohag-4) to infection with the pathogen was, however, mold. However, infected sorghum stalks had dark to brown vascular bundle tissues above and below the injection site, but sterile toothpick- inoculated controls did not.