POKKAH BOENG DISEASE OF SUGARCANE

 POKKAH BOENG DISEASE OF SUGARCANE

Causal Organism: Fusarium moniliforme

Vivek Kumar

Student [ B.Sc (H) Agriculture ]

School of Agriculture, GEHU (Dehradun)

INTRODUCTION:

• Pokkah boeng , a Javanese term, which describe a disease as affecting to sugarcane tops, was first reported in Java by Walker and Went in 1886 and later reported by Edgerton (1955) and Martin et.al (1961).
• In india it was observed for the first time in Maharashtra on Co7219 and Coc671 varieties.
• The occurrence of the disease has been recorded in almost all the cane growing countries in the world.
• 3 to 7 month old crop growing vigorously is more susceptible to infection than older cane.

CLASSIFICATION:

•  Kingdom : Fungi
•  Division : Eumycota
•  Sub-division : Deuteromycotina
•  Class: Hypomycetes
•  Order: Hypocreales
•  Family: Nectriaceae
•  Genus : Fusarium 
•  Species : moniliforme

SYMPTOMS:

The general symptoms of Pokkah boeng are mainly of three types-

• Chlorotic Phase
• Acute Phase or Top-Rot Phase
• Knife-cut Phase

Chlorotic Phase-

• Chlorosis at the base of the young leaves and occasionally on the other parts of the leaf blades.
• Frequently, wrinkling, twisting and shortening of the leaves accompanied the malformation or distortion of the young leaves.
• The base of the affected leaves is seen often narrower than that of the normal leaves.

Acute Phase or Top-Rot Phase-

• The most advanced and serious stage.
• Leaf infection sometimes continued to downward and penetrates in the stalk by way of a growing point.
• In advanced stage of infection, the entire base of the spindle and even growing point showed a malformation of leaves, pronounced wrinkling, twisting and rotting of spindle leaves. 
• Red specks and stripes also developed.

Knife-cut Phase-

• The symptoms of knife-cut stage are observed in association with the acute phase of the disease characterized by one or two or even more transverse cuts in the rind of the stalk /stem in such a uniform manner as if, the tissues are removed with a sharp knife, This is an exaggerated stage of a typical ladder lesion of a Pokkah boeng disease.

ETIOLOGY:

• Mycelium - Septate, branched, light pink Conidia.
• Macro conidia - boat shaped, hyaline, long septate, pointed at tip Micro conidia - small, curved, unicellular. 
• Conidiophores - simple, slender, short, produced in sporodochium. 
• Chlamydospore - spherical, thick walled.

Mycelium and spores of Fusarium moniliforme

 (Microscopic View)

                                                             

Fusarium

                                                                                 

FAVOURABLE CONDITIONS:

•  20-30°C temperature and the average relative humidity higher than 70 to 80% with a cloudy weather, drizzling rains favors the growth of pathogen.

DISEASE CYCLE: 

• The fungus is soil-borne and remains in the soil as Conidia & Chlamydospore
• The disease is primarily transmitted through infected seed pieces.
• The secondary spread is aided by wind, rain and irrigation water.

DISEASE MANAGEMENT:

• Select the seed material from the disease free plots.
• Avoid the practice of rotooning in diseased fields.
• Burn the residue & stubbles in the fields.
• Grow coriander or mustard as a companion crops in early stages of crop.
• Dip the seats in 0.05%carbendazim for 15 minutes.
• Grow resistant varieties.
• Crop rotation.
• Managing root borer.
• Avoiding prolonged drought and water logging.
• Apply bulk manure.
• Apply Trichoderma in FYM.
• Spray Carbendazim, Propiconazole or Hexaconazole.

Thank You !!

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