Sugarcane diseases

Sugarcane diseases slide collected and edited by Syed Zahid

1. Sugar Crop diseases
Syed Zahid Hasan

2. Red rot of sugarcane
CO: Colletotrichum falcatum
Redrotisoneoftheoldestknown
diseasesofsugarcane
Itoccursinmostcane-growingcountries
Completelosstocaneproductionin
caseofsevereepidemiccondition
Itcontinuestobeathreatincertain
subtropicalcountries

3. Symptoms
A)Symptoms ontheleaves
Firstsymptomsareseenaftertherainy
seasonwhenplantgrowthstopsand
sucroseformationbegins
Lossofcoloranddroopingofthe3
rd
or4
th
leavesaretheearliestsymptoms
Redpatcheswithashcoloredcentre
developonthemid-ribofleaf
Theentiretopbecomewither

4. Loss of color and
drooping of the
3
rd
or 4
th
leaves
Red patches
with ash colored
centre develop
on the mid-rib
Entire top
become wither
3
rd
4
th

5. B)Symptoms onthecanes
Theinfectedcanebecomeshriveledand
suchcaneslighterinweightandeasily
broken
Whenthediseasedcanesaresplitted
openlongitudinally,characteristicred
tissuesareseenwhichareintermingled
withwhitetissuesinthepithand
vascularregion
Thecavitiesfilledwithgrayishorwhite
myceliumarefoundinthepithandminute,
velvety,darkdots(acervuliofthefungus)
areformednearthenodesofthediseased
canesandalsoinshrunkenareas

6. Red tissues which
are intermingled
with white tissues
in the pith and
vascular region
Cavities filled
with grayish or
white mycelium
in the pith and
minute, velvety,
dark dots near
the nodes

7. Favorable conditions
Rainandirrigationwater(carryingout
fungusorinfectiousmaterialfromone
planttoanotheroronefieldtotheother)
PresenceofWindandinsects(Stalkborer,
mothborer,sugarcaneweevil)
Injurytosugarcanesetts

8. Disease cycle

9. Controlmeasures
Diseasefreecaneshouldbeusedassetts
Diseasedplantsshouldbedugout&burnt
Lowlyingareasavoidedforcultivation
A2-3yearsrotationshouldbefollowed
Ratooningshouldbeavoided
Useofresistantvarieties,eg.Iswardi2/54,Iswardi-16,iswardi-17,etc
SettstreatmentwithBavistinDForKnowin50WPorAimcozim50WPor
Agben50WPorForastin50WPorGenuine50WPorCindazim50WP
orAgridazim50WPorNayan50WPorEvazim50WPorHaydazim50WP
orGilzim50WPorOrgazim50WP@1g\litofwater
Applicationoftheabovementionfungicides@2ml/litofwaterat12-15
daysintervalfor2-3timesinthefield

10. Smut of sugarcane
CO: Ustilago scitaminea
Itcauses10-25%yieldlossin
severeinfections
Ratooncropmaysuffermore

11. Symptoms
Themostrecognizablediagnosticfeature
istheemergenceofa“smutwhip”
Spindleleavesareerectbeforethe
whipemerges
Affectedplantmayproducetillerprofusely
withtheshootsbeingmorespindlyand
erectwithsmallnarrowleaves
(i.e.,thecaneappears“grass-like”)

12. Emergence of a
“smut whip”
Spindle leaves
are erect
before the whip
emerges
Affected plant produce tiller
profusely & grass-like
appearance

13. Favorable conditions
Infectedsetts(Primaryspreadofthe
disease)
Wind(secondaryspreadbyteliospore)

14. Control measures
Smuttedwhipsfromthefieldshouldberemovedverycarefullyandburnt
Avoidofpracticeofratooning
useresistantcultivars
Thesmuttedcanesshouldnotbeusedassettsforplanting
Settstreatedwith0.25%AgallolorAretanorinBM(4:4:50)for5min
Settsalsobetreatedwith0.1%Hgcl
2or1%formalinsolutionfor5minutes
andfollowedbycoveringundermoistclothfor2hours
Soakingofcanesettsinsolutionoftriadimefonfungicide@2ml/litofwater

15. Wilt of sugarcane
CO: Fusarium sacchari
Itcauses10-15%yieldlossin
epidemicareas

16. Symptoms
Theearliestsymptomofthediseaseisthe
stunting&unthriftyappearanceofafew
isolatedplantsorsmallgroupsofplants
athalfgrownstageoftheplants
Themoststrikingsymptomistheyellowing
andorwitheringofthetopwhenthecropis
gettingreadyforharvesting.Thecanes
becomelightandhollow
Thesplittedcaneshowsbrickredcolor
withindividualvascularstrands.Thereare
nowhitetransversebandsasseeninthe
redrotdisease

17. Stunting & unthrifty
appearance of affected cane
Splitted cane
shows brick
red color with
individual
vascular
strands
Yellowing
and or
withering
of the top

18. Favorable conditions
Infectedsetts
injuriestosetts
Bioticstresseslikenematode,rootborer,
termite,scales,mealybugsetc
Abioticstresseslikedroughtand
waterloggingcondition
Moisturestresscoupledwithhigh
temperatureandlowhumidityreduces
plantresistancetowilt

19. Control measures
Cropdebrisshouldbedestroyed
Healthysettsshouldusedforplantation
Propermaintenanceofsoilmoistureandfertilitycanreducethe
diseaseincidence
Settsshouldbetakenfromborerinfestationfreecanes
Ratooningshouldbeavoided
A2-3yearscroprotationshouldfollow
Applicationofboronandmanganesecanreducethewiltincidence
SettstreatmentwithBavistinDForKnowin50WPorAimcozim
50WPorForastin50WPorGenuine50WPorCindazim50WP@
1g\litofwater
Applicationoftheabovementionfungicides@500g/hainthefield

20. Pineapple disease of sugarcane
CO: Ceratocystis paradoxa

21. Symptoms
Typicaldiseasesymptomsaredetectedin
settsafter2-3weeksofplanting
Destroythecentralsoftportioni.e.paren-
chymatoustissuesoftheinternodesby
rottingandthendamagesthebuds
beforegermination
Therottenportionbecomeredandemits
acharacteristicsmellofpineapple
(productionofethylacetatebythefungus)
Ifgerminates,theshootmaydieafter
reachingaheightofonefeet

22. Destroy the
central soft
portion by
rotting and
become red

23. Favorable conditions
Infectedsetts
injuriestosetts
Stalkdamagedbyborers,ratdamage
oranysuchinjuries
Droughtacceleratesthedamage

24. Plantinghealthysetts
Thecutendsofthesettsshouldpaintedwithfungicidal
solutionorbycoulter
Settsshouldbetreatedinhotwaterat52°Cfor30minutes
SettstreatmentwithBavistinDForKnowin50WPorAimcozim50WP
orForastin50WPorGenuine50WPorCindazim50WP@1g\litofwater
Applicationoftheabovementionfungicides@500g/hainthefield
Control measures

25. Ratoon stunting of sugarcane
CO: Clavibacter xyli or
Leifsonia xyli subsp. Xyli
Itcausesyieldreductionupto40%

26. Symptoms
Thediseasedcaneusuallyshowstunted
growth,reducedtillering,thincaneswith
shortenedinternodes&yellowishleaves
Thetypicalsymptomsofratoonstunting
diseasearefoundonlyaftersplitting
thecanelongitudinallyliketwotypes
ofdiscolorationareseeninthepith
Inmaturecanes,orangereddiscoloration
ofvascularbundlesseenatthenodes
Inyoungcanes,pinkcolorcanbeseen
atthenodes

27. Affected cane show stunted
growth, reduced tillering,
thin canes with shortened
internodes yellowish leaves
Orange red
discoloration
of vascular bundles
at the nodes in
mature cane
Pink color at the
nodes in young cane

28. Favorable conditions
Infectedsetts
Harvestingimplements(if
contaminatedwiththejuice
ofdiseasedcanes)

29. Usingthediseasefreesetts.Raisingof
diseasefreesettsinnurserybythe
followingmeasures-
Properdrainageandoptimumdosagesof
fertilizers&irrigationshouldbeprovided
Timelyhoeingandweeding
Weakplantsshouldbeuprooted&burnt
Rougingofstoolsshowingsymptomsofwilt,
redrotandsmutshouldalsobedone
Anysettthatfailstogerminatewithina
reasonableperiodshoulddugoutandremoved
Settsshouldbetreatedinhotwater
at52°Cfor30minutes
Usediseaseresistantvarietiesforcultivation
Control measures

30. Red stripe/ top rot of sugarcane
CO: Xanthomonas rubrilineans

31. Symptoms
Initiallywater-soakedyellowishstripes
occuronleaves,laterbecomedarkred
Insevereinfection,lateralbudsshow
reddening,terminalbudsandspindle
leavesmaydieandcausingtoprot
Thevascularbundlesexudefoulsmelling
yellowishgumoncut

32. Initially water
soaked yellowish
stripes
Dark red stripes

33. Favorable conditions
Infectedsetts
Wetseasons
waterstressduetodrought&
waterlogging
lowtemperatures

34. Controlmeasures
Systematiccuttingdownandburningof
theaffectedshoots(reducesthespread
ofthedisease)
Diseaseresistantvarietiesshouldbeused

35. Mosaic of sugarcane
Cause: Sugarcane mosaic virus
Vector: Different species of aphids
Inmosaicsusceptiblevarietiesthe
yieldlosscouldbeupto10%

36. Symptoms
Themostimportantsymptomisthe
appearanceofpalegreenpatchesor
blotchesinthegreensurfaceoftheleaf
Thesepatchesarenotuniformin
sizeandshape
Usuallythepatchesareovaltoelongated
andparalleltothemidrib
Theyoungestunfoldedleavesshowthe
mottlingveryclearlywhilethesymptoms
arenotveryclearintheolderleaves

37. Appearance of
pale green
patches or
blotches in the
green surface
of the leaf

38. Control measures
Healthysettsshouldbeusedforplanting
Diseasefreenurserycanberaisedby
treatingthesettswithhotwater
Systematicrougingshouldbefollowedif
theincidenceisnotveryhigh
Alternatehostsshouldbedestroyed
Diseaseresistantortolerantvarieties
shouldbeused

39. White leaf of sugarcane
CA: Mycoplasma like organism (MLO)
Vector: Leafhoppers and psyllids

40. Symptom
Initially,asinglewhiteorcreamlineparallelto
themidriboccurs,whichcanbeseenfromeither
sideoftheblade
Later,severalstraightwhitetolightgreento
yellowstripesdevelopsparalleltothemidrib
extendingalongtheentireleaflength
Amottledpatternofnormalorlightgreendot,
spot,streakorpatchmaydeveloponawhite
background,varyinginsizeandshape
Thetypicalsymptomsofsugarcanewhiteleaf
(SWL)diseasearetotalchlorosisoftheleafand
proliferationoftillers

41. White leaf
symptom
Chlorosis of the leaf and
proliferation of tillers
White leaf
symptom
in field

42. Control measures
Healthysettsshouldbeusedforcultivation
[email protected]%
duringearlystageofcropgrowthto
controlinsectvectors
Settshouldbetreatedwithhotwater
at54°Cforoneandhalfhours

43. Grassy shoot
CA: Mycoplasma like organism (MLO)
Vector: Aphids
Inseverecases,yieldloss
couldbeupto40%
Itsseveritywillbemore
inratooncrops

44. Symptoms
Profusetilleringandbunchyorgrassy
appearanceofthestoolsarethemainsymptom
Shootsgrowingfromdiseasedshootsremains
dwarfedorstunted
Theleavesappearyellowishandinsomecases
mayentirelydevoidofanypigment(whiteleaf)
Leavesexhibitstraight,narrow,long,whiteor
lightgreenoryellowishstreaks

45. Profuse tillering and
bunchy or grassy
appearance of the stools
Leaves exhibit
straight,
narrow, long,
white or light
green or
yellowish
streaks
Devoid of any
pigment (white leaf)

46. Favorable conditions
Diseaseinfectedsetts

47. Control measures
Healthysettsshouldbeusedforcultivation
[email protected]%
duringearlystageofcropgrowth
Settshouldbetreatedwithhotwater
at54°Cforoneandhalfhours

48. Thanks To All