SURVEYS ASSESSING THE INCIDENCE AND SEVERITY OF PACHYMETRA ROOT ROT IN THE AUSTRALIAN SUGARCANE INDUSTRY

PACHYMETRA ROOT ROT is one of the most important diseases in the Australian sugarcane industry. Surveys that either identified root symptoms or assessed soil oospore inoculum levels have provided important data on disease distribution and trends in disease severity within affected districts. Some regions have conducted semi-regular surveys; these include the Central and Bundaberg regions. Other districts have conducted surveys for specific purposes, such as scoping the distribution of the pathogen when first detected. In some districts, very few surveys have been conducted, leaving the local industry with little recent knowledge of the disease. The districts most severely affected by Pachymetra root rot are the wet tropics, Central, Bundaberg and some parts of New South Wales. Data are lacking for several northern mill areas; the Herbert district is also known to be badly affected but no recent surveys have been undertaken there. Further surveys would highlight to plant breeders the relative need in each district for the incorporation of resistance into new commercial varieties. We strongly suggest that the Australian sugarcane industry develops a strategy for routinely assessing both the incidence and / or severity of the disease in each region, to ensure effective district-wide management strategies are implemented.