Gumming disease of sugar cane in Mauritius: A case of disease management
| MSI99P1057 | |
| Autrey, L. J. C. Sullivan, S. Dhayan, S. | |
| Gumming disease of sugar cane in Mauritius: A case of disease management | |
| 3rd ISSCT Sugar Cane Pathology Workshop, Mauritius, 22-26 July 1991 | |
| Conference paper | |
| 1991 | |
| En | |
| En | |
| Gumming disease (Xanthomonas campestris pv vasculorum) which caused severe damage to noble canes in Mauritius from the 1840's until the early decades of this century, gradually decreased in importance with the cultivation of resistant interspecific hybrids as from the 1930's. By 1948, when cultivation of noble canes was prohibited by legislation, the disease had practically disappeared. However, an epidemic occurred in 1964 in varieties considered until then as resistant and which were cultivated over about 60 per cent of the cane area. The outbreak has proved to be caused by a new virulent race of the bacterium. With appropriate legislation for rapid uprooting of foci of infection and release of resistant varieties, the disease was again brought under control. However variety M377/56 released as resistant soon showed severe infection and an epidemic occurred in it in 1970 cuasing its probition for three years. The presence of a new race was suspected. In 1974 when foci of infection of the 1964 epidemic had disappeared the cultivation of M377/56 was authorised again and the variety was grown mostly in the intermediate zone. In 1980-81, with the passage of nine cyclones over or near the island, another severe outbreak occurred especially in M377/56 and caused phasing out and that of four important commercial genotypes. A shift in reaction from resistant to highly susceptible was observed in eitht varieties, some of which has been in cultivation for more than 20 years. Thenew outbreak was proved to be caused by a third race of the bacterium. Legislation was enacted for rapid uprooting of infected and non-infected fields of the highly susceptible carrier of this third race namely M377/56. Other control measures, including release of resistant varieties, sanitation, and a nursery system for production of disease-free cuttings contributed to bring the disease again under control. Epidemiological studies have shown that gumming disease assumes importance in the intermediate climatic zone of Mauritius, being less severe in coastal areas, which are usually dry, and in the wet uplands, where cool conditions prevail. In the light of these studies a marked increase in the cultivation of highly productive, susceptible varieties has taken place since the mid 1980's. This was authorised by law, which initially allowed the cultivation of these susceptible varieties in a few specific areas. These areas were gradually extended and at present nearly all the superhumid and some of the humid cane areas are under susceptible varieties, the disease having been reduced to a very low ebb by the removal of the carrier variety of the third race. Cultivation of susceptible varieties in the wet uplands is risky owing to the possible appearance of new virulent races of the pathogen. Such an approach has resulted in a significant increase in productivity and is thought justified pending release of better varieties resistant to the three races of the pathogen. | |
| SUGARCANE XANTHOMONAS CAMPESTRIS GUMMOSIS DISEASES CONTROL BACTERIAL DISEASES | |
| MAURITIUS | |
| Sugarcane: Diseases and disease management | |
| 1992-07-16 | |
| En | |
| Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute | |
| PATH |