Pest, disease and weed management

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://elibrary2.sugarresearch.com.au/handle/11079/13843

Research outcomes: A comprehensive RD&E program that addresses existing and emerging pests, diseases and weeds, allowing sugarcane growers to manage their crops efficiently with minimal environmental impacts. An enhanced industry capacity to deal with incursions of exotic pests, diseases and weeds.

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Effects of pachymetra root rot and nematodes on some elite sugarcane clones in Australia
(ASSCT, 2016) Bhuiyan, SA; Croft, BJ; Wong, E; Ogden-Brown, J; Turner, M; Parfitt, R; Magarey, RC; Bull, J; Cox, MC
PACHYMETRA ROOT ROT and nematodes are the two most important soil-borne pathogens of sugarcane in Australia. An experiment was established in Yandaran, Queensland in grey forest soil with high Pachymetra spore counts (>100 000 spores/kg). Fifteen elite varieties and one advanced clone, from pachymetra root rot susceptible, intermediate and resistant categories, were planted in the experiment. The experiment was maintained until the second ratoon crop and Pachymetra and nematode populations were assessed in each crop. In addition, the incidence of smut was recorded before harvesting. Cane yield (TCH), commercial cane sugar (CCS) and sugar yield (TSH) were also measured in each crop. Pachymetra spore counts remained significantly lower in resistant varieties compared to susceptible and intermediate varieties until the second ratoon. In intermediate and susceptible varieties Pachymetra spore counts increased substantially, in particular, in second ratoon. In intermediate varieties such as Q232A and Q208A Pachymetra spore counts increased more than three times from plant crop to second ratoon. Numbers of nematodes, in particular root-lesion nematode, more than doubled in the second ratoon crop compared to the plant and first ratoon crops. Only Q248A had significant levels of smut, with 25% and 30% infected plants in the first and second ratoon crops, respectively. Yield reduction was substantial in the second ratoon compared to the plant and first-ratoon crop. Sugar yield decreased by 45% in the second ratoon compared to the first ratoon. Mostly, poor or negative correlations were observed between both Pachymetra spore counts and nematode numbers and yield.
How do current ratings of sugarcane varieties for resistance to smut relate to natural infection
(ASSCT, 2018) Bhuiyan, SA; Cox, MC; Croft, BJ
SUGARCANE SMUT, CAUSED by a fungus Sporisorium scitamineum, is an important disease of sugarcane in Australia. Sugarcane smut can be managed effectively through the propagation of resistant varieties. In Sugar Research Australia’s (SRA) smut screening experiments, stalks of varieties from various stages of breeding programs are cut into one-eye setts and then dipped into a smut spore suspension (5 × 106 spores/mL water) for 10 min at 31 °C. After germination, the plants are transplanted to the field and disease incidence is measured in the plant crop and first and second ratoon crops. This method is effective for screening of a large number of varieties in a relatively short period (10–12 months) and is used in other countries. Although this method is widely accepted, it has some drawbacks: i) test plants are subject to very high disease pressure; and ii) it does not replicate natural infection. Three experiments were established in 2007, 2008 and 2009, to determine if the ratings obtained by artificial inoculation technique predict field resistance of varieties. All experiments were planted with 10 or 5 replicates of the test varieties planted between rows of infected Q205A, and maintained until second ratoon. Highly susceptible varieties Q205A and Q157 had >40% infected plants in plant crops whereas little smut was observed in intermediate and resistant varieties. Average % of smut infected plants increased in all experiments from the plant crop (5–12%) to first ratoon (21–46%) and second ratoon (26–59%) crops. The correlation coefficient values between smut incidence in the natural infection experiments and the historical ratings obtained using dip-inoculation methods ranged from r = 0.82 to 0.72, indicating a good agreement between natural infection trials and dip inoculation ratings.
Does rotating cultivars with intermediate resistance influence pachymetra root rot of sugarcane : ASSCT peer-reviewed paper
(ASSCT, 2019) Jensen, AS; Croft, BJ; Parfitt, RC; Brown, PH
Concerns have been raised by industry members over lower than expected cane yields associated with high oospore levels in sugarcane cultivars rated to have intermediate resistance to pachymetra root rot. This is a significant issue, as intermediate cultivars represent more than 70% of the sugarcane grown in Australia. It is possible that planting the same intermediate cultivar in successive crop cycles could lead to increased yield losses due to pachymetra root rot. This paper examines the residual soil-borne effect of the current major sugarcane cultivars on the following sugarcane crop in three field trials, located in the Herbert, Central and Southern growing regions. Levels of oospores of Pachymetra chaunorhiza and cane yields were assessed in ratoon crops of replicated cultivar-assessment trials and in subsequent crops of intermediate resistant Q208A (planted on the sites of previous cultivar trials). The relationships between Pachymetra oospore levels and cane yield in Q208A crops and pre-plant oospore levels were examined. High oospore levels occurred in plots planted to some intermediate cultivars, as well as susceptible cultivars. In the following crop of Q208A, which was planted into plots of the previous cultivar trial, Pachymetra oospore levels at harvest were related to oospore levels prior to re-planting at all trial sites. Cane yield (t/ha) of Q208A was significantly related to pre-plant oospore levels at a site near Bundaberg (P=0.0049). Yield losses of 21% were incurred at 120 oospores/g soil in Q208A. Cultivation of Q208A following a crop of Q208A did not result in higher Pachymetra oospore populations or yield losses compared with planting Q208A after other cultivars of similar resistance rating. In the Herbert and Central field trials, Pachymetra oospore levels were lower and there were no significant relationships between oospore levels and yield in Q208A planted at these sites. We demonstrate that significant yield losses in Q208A are associated with high Pachymetra oospore levels that occur under intermediate and susceptible cultivars in the previous crop. There was no evidence to support the hypothesis that repeatedly planting the same intermediate cultivar could lead to host-cultivar-specific virulence in P. chaunorhiza. Greater emphasis should be placed on breeding and selecting highly resistant cultivars that are suited to soil types conducive to Pachymetra
SmutBuster: accelerated breeding of smut-resistant sugarcane varieties : SRDC final report BSS325
(BSES, 2011) Cox, MC; Croft, BJ; Bonnett, G
Sugarcane smut is caused by the fungus, Ustilago scitaminea Syd., and is one of the most serious diseases of sugarcane. At the end of 1983, only the sugar industries of Australia and Fiji remained free from smut. Sugarcane smut was reported for the first time in Australia in July 1998 in the Ord River Irrigation Area. Eight years later, smut was identified on the east coast of Australia at Childers. By December 2007 sugarcane smut was widespread and established in the Bundaberg?Isis, Central Queensland and Herbert River districts, and by 2010 the Mulgrave, Tully and Burdekin districts were also infested. The average yield loss reported in papers at the time of the east coast smut incursion was 6% yield loss for each 10% increase in per cent-infected plants. To minimise losses susceptible varieties will need to be completely replaced with equivalent/higher yielding smut-resistant varieties, as fast as possible. This would necessitate changing ~80% of the2006 sugarcane crop. Replacement of susceptible varieties will be achieved, not only by rapid scale-up of smut-resistant varieties, but also accelerated development of high yielding,smut-resistant varieties. The parental pool of high breeding value, smut-resistant germplasm was however severely limited, adversely impacting the core crossing program. Without a significant plant breeding response, the rate of genetic gain for productivity would decrease and fewer productive, smut-resistant varieties would be released from the BSES-CSIRO Sugarcane Variety Improvement Program. The SmutBuster project was a key component of the RD&E response to sugarcane smut with the specific objective of developing high yielding smut-resistant varieties through the utilisation of high breeding value parental germplasm with susceptible reaction to smut.
Pest risk analysis of sugarcane for the Northern Australia Quarantine Strategy
(BSES, 1997) Croft, BJ; Magarey, RC
The purpose of this pest risk analysis (PRA) is firstly to identify quarantine pests and pathogens which pose a threat to sugarcane, which may enter Australia through its northern borders into the area covered by the AQIS Northern Australia Quarantine Strategy (NAQS); and secondly to, identify measures which could be taken by various agencies to reduce the risks of entry or to minimise the impact of such pests should they arrive. The PRA was conducted as outlined in the FAO Standard "Guidelines for Pest Risk Analysis", and is one of a series of PRAs commissioned by NAQS.
Technical assessment of survival of smut spores in bales of sugarcane trash
(BSES, 2008) Croft, BJ
This assessment considers the survival of smut spores in relation to the proposal to store baled trash until there was a low risk of viable spores being present.
Smut-proofing the Australian industry - ensuring a reliable cane supply through reduced genetic vulnerability to sugarcane smut
(BSES, 2009) Croft, BJ; Berding, N
Since the smut incursion and subsequent spread of the disease breeding for smut resistance has become an essential priority for the BSES-CSIRO Variety Improvement program. The strategy that has been adopted includes the SmutBuster program which aims to maintain advances in breeding for productivity while ensuring that all new varieties have adequate smut resistance.
Sugarcane smut yield-loss estimates - eastern Australia 2006 : Responses to questions raised by the consultative committee on emergency plant pests
(BSES, 2006) Croft, BJ; Allsopp, PG; Egan, BT; Hogarth, DM
This document has been prepared by BSES scientists with extensive experience with sugarcane smut. It is based on our reviews of published literature and first-hand experience with smut in the Ord River Irrigation area and Childers-Bundaberg regions of Australia.
Screening of Australian germplasm for resistance to sugarcane smut - SRDC final project report BSS214
(BSES, 2004) Croft, BJ; Berding, N
Sugarcane smut is a destructive disease that has spread to all commercial sugarcane production areas except Fiji, Papua New Guinea and the east coast of Australia. The disease was recorded for the first time in Australia in July 1998 in the Ord River Irrigation Area (ORIA). The objective of this project was to rate Australian commercial cultivars, advanced selections in the BSES/CSIRO and CSR breeding programs and parental clones for resistance to smut. The ratings will be used to provide smut-resistant cultivars to the ORIA and prepare the east coast industry for a possible incursion.BSES negotiated a contract with the Indonesian Sugar Research Institute (ISRI) to conduct smut resistance screening in Indonesia in 1997 before the incursion in Western Australia. The contract was renegotiated after the incursion to accelerate the testing program. The decision to conduct the testing in Indonesia was made because the quarantine period to move clones to Indonesia was shorter than moving clones to Western Australia. The screening is conducted on Madura Island, which is isolated from commercial cane, and clones can be planted into the smut resistance trials after 1 year in an open quarantine plot. Initially, Indonesia allowed 296 clones that were in the BSES quarantine houses to be screened for resistance with no quarantine period in Indonesia. This allowed BSES to obtain resistance ratings on these clones within 1 year of the incursion of smut into Australia.
Survey of sugarcane in eastern Australia for sugarcane smut : SRDC final report BSS230
(BSES, 2000) Croft, BJ; Magarey, RC; Smith, DJ
Sugarcane smut is a serious disease of sugarcane that can cause yield losses in excess of 30% in susceptible varieties. The disease was found for the first time in Australia on the 21 July 1998 in the Ord River Irrigation Area (ORIA) of Western Australia.An initial rapid survey in eastern Australian sugarcane crops failed to locate smut. Travel by canegrowers to the ORIA and movement of machinery from the ORIA to eastern states prior to the discovery of smut had created opportunities for the disease to enter Queensland and New South Wales. There was also the possibility that the atmospheric conditions that facilitated the incursion into the ORIA, may have carried the disease to the eastern states. The status of sugarcane smut in the eastern states was uncertain at the commencement of the current survey.This report describes the results of a two-year sugarcane smut survey carried out by Cane Protection and Productivity Board (CPPB) and Bureau of Sugar Experiment Stations (BSES) staff in Queensland and New South Wales between the 10 November 1998 and the 17 March 2000.

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