SURVEYS ASSESSING THE INCIDENCE AND SEVERITY OF PACHYMETRA ROOT ROT IN THE AUSTRALIAN SUGARCANE INDUSTRY

摘要

PACHYMETRA ROOT ROT is one of the most important diseases in the Australiansugarcane industry. Surveys that either identified root symptoms or assessed soiloospore inoculum levels have provided important data on disease distribution and trendsin disease severity within affected districts. Some regions have conducted semi-regularsurveys; these include the Central and Bundaberg regions. Other districts haveconducted surveys for specific purposes, such as scoping the distribution of thepathogen when first detected. In some districts, very few surveys have been conducted,leaving the local industry with little recent knowledge of the disease. The districts mostseverely affected by Pachymetra root rot are the wet tropics, Central, Bundaberg andsome parts of New South Wales. Data are lacking for several northern mill areas; theHerbert district is also known to be badly affected but no recent surveys have beenundertaken there. Further surveys would highlight to plant breeders the relative need ineach district for the incorporation of resistance into new commercial varieties. Westrongly suggest that the Australian sugarcane industry develops a strategy for routinelyassessing both the incidence and / or severity of the disease in each region, to ensureeffective district-wide management strategies are implemented.