''Sporisorium sorghi'' is a species of

fungus A fungus ( : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately from th ...

in the

Ustilaginaceae The Ustilaginaceae are a family of smut fungi in the order Ustilaginomycetes. Collectively, the family contains 17 genera and 607 species. Biotechnological relevance Ustilaginaceae naturally produce a wide range of value-added chemicals (e.g. s ...

family. It is a

plant pathogen Plant pathology (also phytopathology) is the scientific study of diseases in plants caused by pathogens (infectious organisms) and environmental conditions (physiological factors). Organisms that cause infectious disease include fungi, oomyc ...

, causing covered smut of ''

sorghum ''Sorghum'' () is a genus of about 25 species of flowering plants in the grass family (Poaceae). Some of these species are grown as cereals for human consumption and some in pastures for animals. One species is grown for grain, while many othe ...

'' spp. such as ''

Sorghum bicolor ''Sorghum bicolor'', commonly called sorghum () and also known as great millet, broomcorn, guinea corn, durra, imphee, jowar, or milo, is a Poaceae, grass species cultivated for its grain, which is used for food for humans, animal feed, and ethan ...

'' (''S. vulgare'') (sorghum), ''S. sudanense'' (Sudan grass), ''S. halepense'' (

Johnson grass Johnson grass or Johnsongrass, ''Sorghum halepense'', is a plant in the grass family, Poaceae, native to Asia and northern Africa. The plant has been introduced to all continents except Antarctica, and most larger islands and archipelagos. It re ...

) and ''Sorghum'' ''vulgare'' var. ''technichum'' (

broomcorn ''Sorghum'' () is a genus of about 25 species of flowering plants in the grass family ( Poaceae). Some of these species are grown as cereals for human consumption and some in pastures for animals. One species is grown for grain, while many ot ...

).Zundel, The Ustilaginales of the World, p. 110, 1953; Fischer, Manual of the North American smut fungi, p. 149.

References

Fungal plant pathogens and diseases Sorghum diseases Ustilaginomycotina Taxa named by Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg {{fungus-plant-disease-stub