New pesticide for cane disease

The Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research (IISR), Lucknow, has developed a bio-pesticide that could control the spread of red rot disease in sugarcane by up to 53 per cent.

"We have developed a base culture using 2 kg maize. This can be mixed in the ratio of 1:10 either with cow dung or farm yard manure," said Vijai Singh, principal scientist at the institute.

The formation is named Trichoderma and would cost about Rs 20 a kg. Farm yard manure is easily available around sugar factories, as about 3 per cent of the total cane crushed forms this manure.

This could help in preventing the destruction of sugarcane varieties, as red rot has so far brought about 30 varieties to an end.

"The in-house experiment with the formation has shown the ability to control red rot by more than 50 per cent. We have also given demonstration to a few factories in western Uttar Pradesh," said Singh. While the usual chemical formation used to control red rot leads to deterioration of soil and affects productivity, this formation is expected to prevent soil deterioration.

Red rot is one of the oldest diseases of sugarcane and is also known as the 'cancer' of sugarcane. Epidemics of red rot have occurred regularly in sugarcane cultivation in sub-tropical India.

Caused by a fungus, Collectotrichum falcatum, red rot causes heavy loss to the sugar industry as well as the growers. Red rot appears in July and continues to develop till the harvesting of the crop.

Initially, it causes loss of colour and withering of leaves and, at later stages, the stalk becomes dry, wrinkled and hollow.

If stalks are split open, the pith is found reddened. The red area is traversed by white bands. The diseased tissues of the stalk emit alcoholic smell as a result of inversion caused by the pathogen.

Depending on the incidence of attack, the damage to crop could be as high as 80 per cent.