Evaluation of Sugarcane varieties against Pokkah boeng disease, role of meteorological factors and its management

Abstract

Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) is widely grown as cash crop in India and provides employment to over a million of people directly or indirectly. Recently, increasing trends of Pokkah boeng disease caused by (Fusarium proliferatum) incidence were noticed in most of the sugarcane varieties grown in Bihar which ranged between 5-15%. A field trial was conducted during 2016-2018 at sugarcane research Institute farm, RPCAU, Pusa. In this study, thirty one sugarcane varieties were evaluated against Pokkah boeng disease, out of thirty one sugarcane varieties evaluated against Pokkah boeng disease, sixteen varieties showed resistant, ten varieties showed moderately susceptible while, four varieties were graded as susceptible to Pokkah boeng disease. The correlation analysis between meteorological factors and disease incidence signify that minimum temprature showed significant positive correlation whereas, relative humidity of 07 hrs, 14 hrs. and rainfall showed highly positive correlation while, sunshine displayed significant but statistically was negative relationship with Pokkah boeng disease incidence. Sett treatment with fungicide Carbendazim @ 0.1% and three foliar sprays with Carbendazim @ 0.1% at 15 days intervals revealed that highest germination and maximum control of disease incidence in all the tested varieties.