Sugarcane smut (whip smut): causes, symptoms, prevention

Sugarcane smut (whip smut) is a widespread disease that causes major losses to this important crop. Therefore, we on the World of Plants website have explained the causes of sugarcane smut, its symptoms, and the preventive measures that must be followed.

What is sugarcane smut (whip smut)?

Sugarcane smut is a fungal disease of sugarcane caused by a fungus Sporisorium scitamineum. The most recognizable feature of this disease is a black or gray growth referred to as “smut whip.” Infected sugarcane suffers from severe stunting and significant production losses, with losses of 30-100% common in susceptible varieties.

Causes of the spread of sugarcane smut (whip smut)

Sugarcane smut is spread primarily by dispersal of spores by wind or by planting infected or contaminated cane cuttings. The majority of spores usually spread only a short distance such as 10-15 metres, but in the case of strong winds or hurricanes spores can travel several kilometres; Germs can be spread by movement of machinery and shoes.

Spores can survive for only 2-3 months in moist soil, and persist for longer periods in dry soil or other dry environments. The fungus can survive inside infected sugarcane plants as long as the plant remains alive; For your information, it requires a living plant to produce the spores

Cause of sugarcane smut (whip smut)

The manifestations of sugarcane smut (whip smut) appear in several forms, indicating the presence of the fungal infection causing the disease. The following signs of infection can be observed:

1. Infected plants elongate with less thickness and longer internodes compared to healthy plants.
2. Increase in the number of fungi in the infected sore.
3. The infected shoots resemble weeds in shape and morphological appearance.
4. Infected leaves are thin and have narrow blades.
5. Infected shoots and shoots grow faster than healthy plants.
6. Infected plants swell and take on a cylindrical, “whip”-like shape, with the growing apex elongated.
7. Infected plants wrap around themselves in a spiral without branching.
8. Infected whips go through several color stages, starting with silver, then slate, then gray, and finally charred black.
9. The infected whip explodes and spreads its spores, transmitting the infection to neighboring plants and the soil.
10. Burst flagella cause environmental air pollution in the vicinity of the infestation area

Symptoms and manifestations of sugarcane smut

One of the most important manifestations of smut infection is poor growth of infected plants, shortening and narrowing of seedling leaf blades and their erection, a significant increase in abscission, elongation of the growing apex of infected plants, and the appearance of black flagella at the end of the apex. This flagella is colored silver and contains black fungus spores within it after 3-4 months for planting canes.

Integrated control of smut disease

Measures to combat smut disease begin with planting healthy cuttings free of disease germs.

Planting varieties resistant to the disease, treating the seeds by soaking them in hot water at 50 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes. Planting canes in infected lands is prohibited for at least a season. The technical recommendations package should be adhered to during the plant growth stages. And renewing the cultivation after the fourth succession, and getting rid of the infected trees by burning them outside the field, taking care to put them in plastic bags before transporting them through the healthy plants, if the infestation does not exceed 5%. However, in the event that the infestation exceeds this percentage, burning is done inside the field with the soil being raked, combed, and removed. Then irrigate and flood the field with water for 7-10 days. After drought, plow and solarize several times and plant the land with another crop.

Preventive measures for sugarcane smut

1. You should plant resistant varieties of plants that are free of diseases.
2.  You should also rotate crops extensively.
3. Use heat treatment to produce propagation seeds (hot, humid air treatment at 54°C for 150 minutes or hot water treatment at 50°C for 2 hours).

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References

Control of sugarcane smut