The fungus also can be moved in dried honeydew attached to animals, clothing, shoes and farm equipment. The rapid dissemination of sorghum ergot has allowed it to spread around the world in just three years. The disease first moved from Africa and Asia to Brazil where it caused an economic epidemic in 1995. Then it moved to other South American countries and to Australia in 1996 and Mexico and the United States in 1997. During the 1997 growing season, the fungus spread from Texas to Kansas, Nebraska, Georgia, Mississippi and New Mexico.
Research continues in all areas, including identifying and breeding for disease resistance.
One thing we've learned already in 1998 is that drought is a very effective management tool. There is little, if any, sorghum ergot in Texas thus far.