In the absence of a successful practice for the control of ergot (caused by C. africana) on sorghum A-lines (male-steriles) in Zimbabwe, 2 fungicides, benomyl as Benlate and thiram, were tested in greenhouse and field experiments conducted at the Matopos and Henderson Research Stations, Zimbabwe in 1993. Fungicides were either applied to sorghum panicles singly, at concentrations of 0.1 or 0.2% a.i., or combined in mixtures at 0.1% a.i. each. Fungicides were applied before inoculation at heading or stigma exsertion or after disease became visible. Treatment with either benomyl or thiram was ineffective if applied when disease first became visible. A significant reduction in initial disease severity, rate of disease increase and final disease severity was achieved with 1 application of benomyl at 0.2% a.i. at heading or stigma exsertion. At the concentrations tested benomyl and thiram did not reduce seed-set in R- (restorer) lines
