Red rot

Caused by: Colletotrichum falcatum
Problem Category: Fungal Disease
Symptoms: Yellowing, drying leaves; elongated red lesions on leaf midribs which may develop a straw yellow center; splitting open the stalk lengthwise reveals reddish patches of tissue interrupted by white areas; vascular tissue may also be red
Comments: Disease has eliminated several varieties of sugarcane
Management: Planting resistant varieties of sugar cane is the most effective method of controlling the disease; remove crop debris from the plantation to reduce inoculum levels; rogue diseased plants; harvest crop promptly if growing a susceptible variety; treating seed pieces with hot water prior to planting can reduce the incidence of the disease but foliar fungicide application has proved to be an ineffective method of control
Control: Spray 3% panchagavya or spray 5% cowruine solution to control the Rot