Technical Series Number 22, April 1997
The main causes that determine the renewal of sugarcane plantations are the decrease in production and the increase in sanitary problems. Among the most important health problems are coal (Ustilago scitaminea Syd.), rust (Puccinia melanocephala H. & P. Syd.), mosaic (SCMV), soca rickets (Clavibacter xyli subsp. xyli Davis et al.), leaf scald (Xanthomonas albilineans (Ashby) Dowson) and, to a lesser extent, chlorotic streak caused by agents not yet determined (Victoria et al., 1984). These diseases,
With the exception of rust, they are systemic and can therefore be transmitted by planting infected vegetative material. When this type of material is used, the incidence of diseases increases significantly through cuttings, being one of the main causes of deterioration of commercial plantations.
This situation requires frequent renewal of the fields using pathogen-free material, either with commercial varieties or with new varieties, always coming from seedbeds or multiplication fields subject to strict sanitary control.