Screening for Resistance to Smut Disease of Twenty Seven Sugarcane Varieties

Abstract

Sugarcane smut (Sporisorium scitamineum) is considered cosmopolitan in distribution, and has been important in nearly every sugarcane producing country of the world and in Sudan as well. The control of the disease depends mainly on resistance of cane variety to the pathogen. In the Sudan smut draws greatest attention as the disease is prevalent on all sugar estates and at same times it seriously threatened the industry resulting in that two of the highest yielding varieties for both cane tonnage and sugar (Nco 310 and Nco 376) have been phased out of commercial cultivation. Since then the search for an effective control measures was emphasised. pressent study was aimed of the carried out at the research field of the Guneid Research Centre in seasons 2014-2015 screen newly introduced sugarcane varieties for thier resistance to smut disease using two methods of inoculation (natural and dipping inoculation). The results revealed that the test varieties reacted differently to inoculation with smut disease and hence they gave significantly variable level of infection. The percentage of stool infection ranged from 0% in variety CP 99-1894 that rated as highly resistant (HR) and 76% in variety BSR97051 which was rated as highly susceptible (HS). Moreover, out of the 27 varieties tested, five ones were reacted as highly resistant (HR) in plant cane, namely, (CP 99-1894, FG 03204, B 89640, DB 66113, DP 71060) and one variety FG 04754 rated 2R compared to check variety Co 6806 which is known as highly resistant (HR). These five varieties maintained similar reactions to smut in first ratoon by the two methods. The remaining varieties which reacted and rated less than resistant (R), their reaction rated from moderately to highly susceptible. The smut infection in these varieties was higher in first ratoon than in plant cane. This study proved categorically, that there is positive correlation in the results of the two methods used which suggests that the dip method is suitable for future studies. The study also recommended studies in disease epidemiology.