Document Type

Report

Publication Date

4-1-2026

Publisher

Clemson Extension Publishing

Abstract

Several species of nematodes can infect and reproduce on grain sorghum. However, unlike damage to cotton or soybeans, damage to grain sorghum is often minimal. This is because grain sorghum has a fibrous root system with multiple growing points, allowing it to rapidly compensate for damaged roots. Therefore, it can withstand higher nematode populations before exhibiting reduced plant growth or yield. Symptoms of nematode damage include stunting, nutrient deficiencies, and premature drought stress. Nematodes are not uniformly distributed in a field and symptoms of damage from nematodes are often more common in sandier areas of a field. Symptomatic plants have stunted, discolored, roots, sometimes with galls. Galls on grain sorghum or corn are smaller and harder to identify than those on soybean or cotton roots. Stunted and/or galled roots have reduced water and nutrient uptake, resulting in stunted plants, delayed crop maturity, and, ultimately, decreased yield. Documentation of major yield losses due to nematodes on grain sorghum in the United States is lacking.

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