Crops > Pastures & grasses > Tripsacum laxum, Guatemala grass ?disease, Burundi

May 2008. In Eastern Africa (reported from Burundi) the Guatemala grass, Tripsacum laxum, which is an important fodder plant has been reported to be seriously affected by what appears like a fungal disease (?), following armyworm and/or Brusseola fusca attacks at an earlier stage.

Reported symptoms are drying of leaves starting from the leave ends to the plant base until the whole plant dies; see attached photo. All plant stages are affected.

There were no suggestions as to the cause.