A Global Review of Sugarcane Diseases: Challenges and Management Strategies
Author : Eman S Attia and Ahmed M Hamada
Abstract :
Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) is one of the world’s most important industrial crops, providing roughly 80% of global sugar and a major feedstock for bioethanol. However, its productivity and sustainability are continually threatened by a diverse range of pathogens including fungi, bacteria, viruses, phytoplasmas and nematodes. This review provides an integrated global overview of sugarcane diseases, summarising their causal agents, symptomatology, epidemiology, and economic impacts. Fungal pathogens such as Colletotrichum falcatum (red rot) and Sporisorium scitamineum (smut) remain the most devastating, while bacterial diseases including leaf scald, gummosis and ratoon stunting disease (RSD) are globally distributed and often latent. Viral pathogens, notably sugarcane yellow leaf virus (SCYLV) and sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV), continue to evolve into new genotypes and mixed infections. The review further highlights the challenges posed by sugarcane’s polyploid genome, pathogen variability, the movement of infected planting material, and climate-change-driven disease emergence. Advances in disease diagnostics, resistance breeding, tissue-culture-based seed-cane programmes, and integrated disease management (IDM) are critically assessed. Emphasis is placed on the potential of molecular tools, genomics, and remote-sensing-based surveillance for sustainable disease management. Finally, the paper outlines future research priorities focused on pathogen genomics, durable resistance, and data-driven decision support to mitigate yield losses and sustain global sugarcane productivity.
Keywords :
Sugarcane diseases, Saccharum spp, fungal pathogens, bacterial pathogens, viral diseases, integrated disease management, host resistance.
