Abstract

BRICENO, R; DE SOUSA VIEIRA, O  and  REA, R. Reaction of twenty sugarcane clones to smut disease Ustilago scitaminea Sydow. Rev. Fac. Agron. [online]. 2005, vol.22, n.4, pp.407-415. ISSN 0378-7818.

An experiment was established to determine the performance of 20sugarcane (Saccharum spp., hybrid) clones (17 experimental and 3 commercial checks) to Smut disease (Ustilago scitaminea, Sydow). An artificial inoculation method was used by immersing 1-bud cuttings in a suspension of spores for 20 min. Sixty buds per cultivar were inoculated then planted in pots. After a month, sugarcane plants were transplanted into the field using a randomized complete block design with three replications. The evaluations were made every two weeks during plant crop and ratoon cycles. The percentage of stool infection was measured to determine the sugarcane reaction to the disease, according to a scale established by the Sugarcane Breeding Program at `Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agrícolas (INIA).' During both cycles, ten varieties reacted from moderately resistance to resistance, and the other ten ranged from susceptible to highly susceptible. The V91-4, V91-7, V91-11 and V91-14 varieties were eliminated from the program due to their extremely susceptibility to this disease. The V91-8, V91-9, V91-13 and V98-76 clones resulted susceptible, however, it is recommended to evaluate them for another cycle to give the pertinent recommendations. On the other hand, V91-1, V91-2, V91-3, V91-5, V91-6, V91-10, V91-12, V91-13, V91-15 and V91-16 showed moderately resistance to resistance.

Keywords : Inoculation; resistance; clones; sugarcane; smut.