Project Number: 6625-22000-008-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: Feb 07, 2003
End Date: Feb 06, 2008

Objective:
1) Screen sugarcane clones and germplasm for resistance to ratoon stunting disease, leaf scald, mosaic, smut and eye spot using proven techniques. 2) Evaluate the impact of diseases on sugarcane growth. 3) Determine the incidence and spread of diseases within the breeding and variety development populations and grower fields in the sugarcne production area. 4) Develop populations of sugarcane clones appropriate for detecting molecular markers to select resistant genes. Enhance infrastructure and program support in plant pathology in order to more effectively address the threat posed by sugarcane rust, a serious disease threat.

Approach:
1) Inoculate sugarcane clones used in the breeding and cultivar development programs with pathogens to determine their relative disease resistance, 2) Conduct replicated yield tests to determine the effect of diseases on yield, 3) Sample plants in the variety development program and in grower fields to determine the incidence, 4) Screen progeny of several families of sugarcane for their reaction to sugarcane diseases using standard procedures.

Project Team

Comstock, Jack

Project Annual Reports

FY 2003