Red Rot Disease of Sugarcane

Disease  Symptoms

1. Red rot is caused by the fungi Colletotrichum falcatum.

2. The 3rd and 4th leaves (from the top) of the infected plants display yellowing and drying. At a later stage, show discoloured lesion on the rind. Fungal spores develop on rind and nodes.

3. If the diseased stalk split open, reddened internal tissues with intermingled white spots may be seen. The internal colour becomes brown, pith cavity become larger, greyish hyphae inside pith become visible. A sour and alcoholic smell emanates from the infected tissues.

Red rot Disease Management

Red rot is often referred as cancer of sugarcane and no effective method for its control is available yet. However, the diseases can be managed by adopting integrated red rot management practices.

1. Cultivation of resistant varieties like Co 89003, Co 98014, Co 0118, Co 0238, Co 0239, Co 0124, etc will contain the disease.

2. The disease spread through infected setts. Therefore, always select seed canes from a disease free healthy crop. Any setts showing reddening at the cut ends or at the nodal region should be discarded.

3. Raise seed crop from the seed canes treated in moist hot aerated therapy unit at 54°C for 1 hour or soak the setts overnight in Thiophanate Methyl (ROKO)+Pseudomonas.

4. Resort to crop rotation with paddy and green manure crops. Avoid ratooning.

5. During rainy season, the disease spreads fast. Bunding of affected field may be done to avoid movement of pathogen through rain or floodwater.

6. Roguing of diseased plants showing spindle leaf infection early during May-June and disinfecting soil around the diseased clumps with 0.1% Carbendazim solution.