Incidence and Severity of Turcicum Leaf Blight Caused by Exserohilum turcicum (pass.) Leonard and Suggs) on Sorghum Populations in Different Regions of Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya

Abstract

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is a drought tolerant food crop preferred by subsistence farmers in dry areas which experience low annual rainfall. However, Turcicum Leaf Blight (TLB) caused by Exserohilum turcicum has threatened sorghum production in the world. New sorghum varieties have been introduced into the Kenyan production systems, including the drier parts of Tharaka Nithi County to boost yield and thus meet the increased demands for food and as a raw material by brewing industries. Nonetheless, challenges due to infection by TLB have negatively impacted on sorghum production resulting from damaged photosynthetic leaves. This study was conducted to determine the incidence and severity of TLB on sorghum populations indifferent regions of Tharaka Nithi County. Sorghum farms in eleven villages for the study were selected by multistage random sampling. The study was conducted between the month of January and June 2018. Data analysis was done by SAS software version 9.3 and significantly different means separated using LSD test at 5% probability level. There was statistically significant difference in the severity and incidence of E. Turcicum leaf blight on sorghum population from different regions in Tharaka Nithi County (P<0.05). Disease TLB occurred in all the villages surveyed though at different frequencies. The disease incidence was higher at Kithaga, and Nkairini recording 74.45% and 55.93%. and lowest at Gatuntu and Gituntu both recorded the disease incidences 12.22%. Thus, farmers should be educated on sorghum TLB management for increased sorghum production and higher income to farmers.