Red Rot Management in Sugarcane: Symptoms, Identification, Treatment, Chemical, Biological, Natural, and Organic Control

Red rot is a devastating disease that affects sugarcane crops globally and is caused by the fungus Colletotrichum falcatum. The Disease was discovered in India in the early twentieth century and rapidly spread to other sugarcane-growing regions. Red rot is a significant threat to sugarcane production because it lowers sucrose content, causes yield loss, and results in significant economic losses for farmers. The fungus enters the plant through wounds or natural openings and colonizes the stalk’s interior tissues, causing rotting and discoloration.

Controlling red rot requires proper management practices such as planting resistant varieties, removing infected plant debris, and administering fungicides. Crop rotation and keeping healthy soil conditions can also help prevent disease spread.

Red Rot Management in Sugarcane

The Causal Organisms of Red Rot and Identification of Pathogen

The fungus Glomerella tucumanensis, also known as Colletotrichum falcatum, is responsible for red rot disease in sugarcane. The pathogen typically appears dark brown to black, with globose structures between 65 and 250 m in diameter on leaf sheaths and blades. These entities frequently exist alone or in groups, creating small pathways between the vascular bundles. The resting structures, or sclerotia, have walls up to eight cells thick, are pseudo-parenchymatous on the inside, and have a faintly papillate ostiole.

The Disease Cycle of Red Rot Disease

Red-rot disease cycle Colletotrichum falcatum’s fungus spores cause red rot sugarcane disease. Wounds, natural openings, or soil-infected plant waste allow the spores to enter the plant. The fungus develops conidia, asexual spores spread by wind, rain, and irrigation. Conidia can infect other sugarcane plants or make sclerotia on soil surfaces.

During the rainy season, the Disease spreads so rapidly that the entire crop dies, and no infected cane is harvested. Sclerotia can wait in the soil for optimal conditions to infect the next crop. When conditions are right, sclerotia germinate and create new fungal spores, restarting the disease cycle.

Causes/Conditions Favorable for Red Rot Disease in the Field

Spores from infected crop debris washed into the soil can infect newly planted seeds or seedlings, even though the fungus can only live in the soil for a short period.
Disease spores are dispersed from infected plants via breeze, rain, heavy dew, and irrigation water. The spores are produced in the midrib or stalks.
The Disease thrives in cool, damp conditions, consistently damp soils, and monocultures.
There may be an uptick in illness rates due to drought.
The fungus can also infect corn and sorghum, considered intermediate hosts.

Symptoms of Red Rot Disease

Symptoms of red rot disease in sugarcane include changing the color of the leaves from green to yellow and drying that begins at the bottom of the plant and moves upwards.
If the fungus spores get past the leaf sheath, reddish spots may develop on the underside of the leaf’s midrib.
After the infection, the external signs appear 16–21 days later, and the cane usually dries out in another ten days.
The inner region of the affected cane exhibits a reddish color with sporadic white tinges when it is divided, and the pith may contain a blackish-brown liquid with an alcoholic odor.

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Percentage of the Yield Loss due to Red Rot Disease in Sugarcane

Canes impacted by red rot lose between 29% and 83% of their weight and between 24% and 90% of their juice. 5–50% of sugarcane production is lost to this Disease, and only 31% of the sugar can be recovered.

Red Rot Management in Sugarcane by Cultural Method

Sugarcane red rot can be effectively controlled through cultural and physical methods.
It’s important to get disease-free setts before you grow the crop.
To lessen the spread of red rot, rotate rice into the infected area for one growing season, followed by two growing seasons of other crops.
The effects of red rot disease can be mitigated by cultivating resistant and moderately resistant varieties.
Soil drenching with Carbendazim 50 WP and removing infected clumps at an early stage are examples of physical methods that can be used to control the Disease. (1 gm in 1 liter of water).
You can use a fungicide solution, like a 1% Bordeaux combination, to dip the cut ends and the complete sets.
The leaves and canes infected in the field must be gathered and burned to stop the spread of the Disease.

Red Rot Management in Sugarcane by Biological Method

Seeds can be treated with biological control agents like Pseudomonas species and fungi from the genera Chaetomium and Trichoderma to keep the Disease away. Seed treatments and foliar sprays using these substances are effective in reducing the transmission of diseases.

Red Rot Management in Sugarcane by Chemical Method

To eliminate the pathogen, soak sets in hot water combined with a fungicide such as thiram before planting.
Chemical treatments are ineffective and should not be used in the open.
Apply Carbendazim sett treatment before sowing, along with Urea in water.
Dip setts in fungi toxic chemicals such as Bavistan, Benomyl, Topsin, and Aretan to eradicate rot infection.
Bavistan, Benomyl, Topsin, and Aretan should be applied at a 0.1% concentration for 18 minutes at 52oC.

Red Rot Management in Sugarcane by Organic/Natural Method

Red rot disease can also be controlled using organic techniques. Compost and manure are two examples of organic fertilizers that can boost plant vigor and combat disease.
Reducing the prevalence of red rot disease can also be accomplished through crop rotation with rice and other non-host crops.
Retaining moisture in the soil and boosting its health with mulch made of organic materials like straw or leaves can reduce the spread of Disease.

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Preventive Measures for Control of Red Rot Disease

Use healthy, certified seeds and seedlings and plant-resistant varieties.
Pick up planting material from areas free of Disease.
To prevent extreme temperatures, adjust the sowing time.
Maintain the area and get rid of any unhealthy plants.
Avoid ratooning infected crops.
After harvest, remove plant debris from the area and burn it or repeatedly plow it to expose fungal material to sunlight.
Create a healthy crop rotation with resistant plants for two to three years.

Conclusion

Integrated management strategies are necessary to control red rot disease in sugarcane, including cultural, biological, and chemical methods and preventive measures such as crop rotation and disease-free planting material.

Red Rot Management in Sugarcane: Symptoms, Identification, Treatment, Chemical, Biological, Natural, and Organic Control

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