Leticia Camara Vieira
Kansas State University
Manhattan, KS, USA
Diogo Reffatti
Visiting Scholar
Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas, United States
Craig Dinkel
Midway District Extension Agent
Kansas State University
Russell, Kansas, United States
Jay Wisbey
Crop Production Agent
Kansas State University
Salina, Kansas, United States
Kelsey Andersen Onofre
Assistant Professor
Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas, United States
Timothy Todd
Instructor and Research Scientist
Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas, United States
Rodrigo B. Onofre, n/a
Assistant Professor, Row Crops Pathology
Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas, United States
Sorghum stalk rot is a worldwide threat to sorghum production. Current management is limited to pre-planting strategies such as hybrid selection and reduced planting populations. This study evaluated fungicide efficacy on sorghum stalk rot and grain yield. Field trials were conducted in one Kansas location in 2023 and three in 2024. Treatments included: 1) Non-treated control, 2) Xyway at planting with banded 2x2, 3) Xyway dribbled over the row (0X0), 4) Xyway dribbled 2 inches off the row (0x2), 5) Xyway with banded 2x2 + Topguard EQ at flowering, 6) Topguard EQ at flowering, and 7) Adastrio at flowering. Experiments followed a randomized complete block design with six replications and two hybrids. Panicle size, lodging, and grain yield were evaluated. Stalk rot incidence and severity were assessed before harvest. Fungicide applications had no significant effect on protein content, panicle size, disease severity, or disease incidence. However, fungicide application (P = 0.0003) resulted in significant yield improvements. Xyway applied at planting 0X0, Topguard EQ, and Adastrio at early flowering significantly increased yield compared to the control by 484.37, 498.92, and 530.65 kg ha⁻¹, respectively. The interaction of fungicide × location had a significant effect (P < 0.0001) on yield. Stalk rot disease severity and incidence averaged 58% and 78%, respectively, across all trials. Although fungicide applications did not reduce stalk rot disease, these findings provide evidence of yield improvement through fungicide applications.