Progress in understanding fungal diseases affecting sugarcane: rusts

Publication date: 05/03/2018
Extent: 40 pages

Contributions by: R. Stuart Rutherford, South African Sugarcane Research Institute (SASRI) and University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Chapter synopsis: Rust fungi (Uredinales or Pucciniales) are a globally distributed order of obligate parasitic fungi occurring on vascular plants. The typical symptom is a ‘rust-coloured’ (often orange or yellow) pustule on a plant leaf. Economically, rust fungi cause enormous crop losses, including in sugarcane. This chapter summarizes current knowledge of sugarcane rusts in terms of relevant background biology, pathogen dispersal, disease identification, environmental conditions favouring disease, crop loss, host-plant resistance and control measures. The chapter focuses on the history, identification and control of three varieties of rust: brown, orange and tawny.

DOI: 10.19103/AS.2017.0035.34