Loose kernel smut

It attacks all groups of sorghum including Sudan-grass and Johnson grass. Galls formed by loose kernel smut are long and pointed. The thin membrane covering the galls usually breaks soon after galls reach full size. The dark-brown spores contained in the galls are wind-blown away leaving a long, dark pointed, curved structure (called columella), in the central part of the gall. As in covered kernel smut, the spores of the fungus are carried on the seed and germinate soon after the seed is planted and invades the young sorghum plant. It continues to grow unobserved inside the plant until heading, when the long pointed smut galls appear in the heads in place of normal kernels. Unlike covered kernel smut, this disease stunts the infected plants and often induces abundant side branches.