SUDAN GRASS AND RELATED PLANTS. 68 
California, and the selections will have to be tried in the Gulf coast 
region before their disease resistance can be determined. 
Another opportunity for success in breeding operations lies in the 
production of a grain-bearing strain of grass sorghum, as discussed 
under the section ‘‘Sudan grass as a grain crop.”’ The difficulties 
in the way of producing such a strain of Sudan grass seem to be less 
than those connected with the production of a disease-resistant 
strain. It is an easy matter by crossing with the Freed sorghum, 
feterita, or kafir to obtain intermediate forms with nearly pure-white 
seeds. These hybrids yield much more seed than Sudan grass, but 
none have been found as yet which will compete with the grain 
sorghums. The present results, however, make it seem worth while 
to continue work along this line. 
DISEASES OF SUDAN GRASS. 
The most destructive disease of Sudan grass is the red-spot, or 
sorghum blight, a bacterial disease which in its effect on the plant 
resembles the rust on small grains. Red-spot is present wherever 
Sudan grass is grown, but is a limiting factor in the production of 
Sudan grass only in the warm, humid regions along the South 
Atlantic and Gulf coasts. 
The kernel smut of sorghums, Sphacelotheca sorgha (Link) Clinton, 
also attacks Sudan grass, but this can be controlled by treating the 
seed with formaldehyde.° 
Besides the two rather important diseases named above, Taubenhaus 
(21, p. 22) declares that a rust caused by the organism Puccina 
purpurea Cooke was prevalent in Texas during the season of 1919 
and lists the anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum cereale Manns as 
present on Sudan grass. The causal fungus of the anthracnose is 
carried over in the seed and in the stubble or straw. Rotation of crops 
and treatment of the seed with formaldehyde, as suggested for grain 
smut, are the most effective methods of control. Taubenhaus states 
that little is yet known about methods for controlling rust, but that 
it is destructive only in wet seasons. 
INSECT ENEMIES OF SUDAN GRASS. 
The same insects which interfere with the culture of sorghum also 
attack Sudan grass. Grasshoppers are fond of it and do considerable 
damage in localities where they are abundant. The most effective 
method of controlling their depredations is by scattering poisoned 
bran mash about the edges of the Sudan grass fields. Chinch bugs 
are troublesome at intervals when the seasonal conditions are favor- 
able for their multiplication in other crops. The sorghum midge 
6 For methods of seed treatment with formaldehyde, see Farmers’ Bulletin 939, entitled ‘‘Cereal Smuts 
and the Disinfection of Seed Grain.’’ 
