2011 Annual Report 1a.Objectives (from AD-416) The objective of this cooperative research project is to evaluate sorghum germplasm in several locations in Senegal and Gambia for resistance to long smut and grain mold. 1b.Approach (from AD-416) Exotic and adapted sorghum accessions will be planted in several locations in Senegal and Gambia and evaluated for disease reaction. U.S. sorghum germplasm and inoculation protocol will be provided by the ARS cooperator. Weather data will be collected from each location. Data will be analyzed, and comparison among the accessions based on maturity groupings and other agronomic traits will be recorded. 3.Progress Report The goal of this project is to identify resistance sources to long smut and grain mold among U.S. and West Africa sorghum germplasm resources. In FY 2011, 27 sorghum germplasm lines, including commercial hybrids, cultivars, and isogenic lines were evaluated for resistance against long smut and grain molding fungi in production areas near the cities of Bambey and Nioro, Senegal, West Africa. The lines were rated for grain mold, with 1=no mold and 5=very moldy. Apart from the grain mold resistant controls (SC 719-11E and Tx 2911), two hybrids (Pioneer 8313 and Variety 3700) exhibited low to moderate grain mold infection at Bambey. In Nioro, two hybrids (Triumph 458 and Variety 3700) had low to moderate grain mold infection. At both locations, N9243 and Variety 3700 exhibited no long smut infection. The results show that variety 3700 may be useful in sorghum enhancement programs. Work by this project, as it continues, will identify additional sorghum germplasm types that will be useful to breeders in developing new, disease-resistant sorghums for productive use by farmers in all sorghum production areas of the world. The ADODR of this project and the cooperator maintain regular communications by e-mail, where progress of the work is discussed and evaluated, and where solutions to work impediments are developed. The ADODR and the cooperator meet at annual visits to experimental sites, etc., where the work is discussed and evaluated.