Abstract
Pennisetum Hohenackeri Hochst. (P. alopecuros Nees) is a densely tufted perennial grass thriving in the clayey moist situations. The occurrence of sphacelial and sclerotial stages of a Claviceps on this host was first recorded by Ajrekar1 in the course of his studies on the sugary disease of jowar in India caused by Sphacelia Sorghi McRae. In their studies on the ergot in South India, Thomas et al.2 have given measurements of the spores of the Sphacelia and of the sclerotia. The honey dew forms a brownish viscid crust on the infected spikelets, embedding numerous spores. The spores are hyaline, thin-walled, 17–24 × 3–7 µ.
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References
Ajrekar, S. L., J. Ind. Bot. Soc., 5, 55 (1926).
Thomas, K. M., Ramakrishnan, T. S., and Srinivasan, K. V., Proc, Ind. Acad. Sci., 81, 93 (1945).
Whetzel, H. H., and Reddick, D., Phytopath., 1, 50 (1911).
Petch, T., Naturalist, London, 25 (1937).
Tubeuf, K. F., and Smith, W. G., "Diseases of Plants", 194 (1897).
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THIRUMALACHAR, M. Ergot on Pennisetum Hohenackeri Hochst. Nature 156, 754 (1945). https://doi.org/10.1038/156754a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/156754a0
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