Breeding for anthracnose ('Colletotrichum sublineolum' Henn.) resistance in sorghum: Challenges and opportunities

Sorghum ['Sorghum bicolor' (L.) Moench] is an important cereal crop grown for its diverse uses. Global sorghum production and productivity is affected by various stresses notably by biotic factors such as diseases, weeds and insect pests. Anthracnose caused by the fungal pathogen 'Colletotrichum sublineolum' Henn. (formerly known as 'C. graminicola' [Ces.] G.W. Wilson), grain mold, leaf blight, rust and smut are among the most import diseases of sorghum, while stem borer, shoot fly, termites and birds are notable pests of the crop. Sorghum anthracnose occurs in epidemic proportions under high temperature and humidity conditions causing yield losses reaching up to 67% in susceptible varieties. Sorghum shows considerable genetic variation. A large number of landraces are exploited in breeding for disease resistance and better agronomic performance. This review presents literature on breeding sorghum for anthracnose resistance and associated challenges and opportunities. Information presented in this paper may guide future breeding of sorghum varieties incorporating farmer needs and preferences.