Symptoms and their Assessment of Sugarcane Pokkah Boeng

Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.)is one of the most important commercial crops and the primary producer of sugar in the world, accounting for around 70% of the world'soverall sugar supply. Sugarcane is cultivated primarily for sugar, which is an important cooking material in the modern world. Sugarcane is a member of the Poaceae family which consists of six perennial grass species of the genus Saccharum L.It is a long-term crop of 10-12 months, so it is susceptible to a number of diseases, and the importance of diseases as a restrictive factor in the development of sugarcane has been widely established. A substantial number of diseases have a major effect on the production of sugarcane [1]. This is partially due to their nature, reproduction, cultivation and management methods.

The crop has an unparalleled record of dealing with new diseases, some of which have caused major losses or more widespread. The increase in sugarcane land used as a commercial crop is expected to cause more disease problems in many countries. The losses caused by these diseases may vary from place to place and depend on the type of crop. Therefore, these diseases cannot be ignored or neglected due to their impact on the quality and quantity of sugarcane. Disease is one of the major problems affecting sugarcane productivity. Sugarcane disease not only caused a decline in production, but also had a major impact on variety development plans. The fungal pathogens of sugarcane are known to spread to different continents and different sugarcane varieties. Many primitive noble canes are susceptible to some serious diseases, but their hybridization with wild canes improves their toughness. Among fungal diseases, pokkah boeng has become a serious problem for sugarcane-growing countries, which can lead to severe yield losses. When the plant grows rapidly, Pokkah boeng may become obvious during wet periods. However, the plants can be restored and have little effect on yield. In particular, resistant varieties may affect the disease resistance or resistance of plants to pathogens, and moderate safety in controlling plant diseases should be considered. Planting healthy seed materials/using drug-resistant materials and following comprehensive disease management measures is the best way to prevent the occurrence of diseases [2]. This chapter initially briefly introduced the economic importance of sugarcane. Subsequently, the pokkah boeng of sugarcane is described in detail, including its disease symptoms and pathogens. Biological control has become the ultimate long-term solution to the problems of sugarcane pokkah boeng because it is safer than chemical pesticides and is considered to be less polluting to the environment. However, due to severe constraints, the above-mentioned disease control measures cannot be implemented, so some alternative sustainable strategies are necessary.