Pacific Pests, Pathogens & Weeds - Fact Sheets

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Sugarcane white rash (220)

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Photo 1. Oval spots, purple at first and later white with red margins, of white rash, Elsinoe sacchari.

Common Name

Sugarcane white rash, white speck

Scientific Name

Elsinoe sacchari; the asexual state is Sphaceloma sacchari.

Distribution

Widespread. Asia, North and South America, the Caribbean, Oceania. It is recorded from Federated States of Micronesia, French Polynesia, Guam, and Marshall Isalnds.

Hosts

Sugarcane

Symptoms & Life Cycle

The spots occur on the leaf blades, less frequently on the midribs and sheaths. They are yellowish or purple, oval, 1-4 mm long and up to 1 mm wide (Photo 1). Later, the spots become light brown or whitish-grey with a reddish margin. They may join together and form streaks.

Spread is most likely by wind.

Impact

There are no records of the damage done by this disease.

Detection & inspection

Look for the distinctive small, oval (1-4 mm long) spots on the leaf blades, and the midribs; they are purple at first, later becoming white with red margins, and sometimes joining together.

Management

The disease is of little or no economic importance, so control treatments are unnecessary.

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