LSU AgCenter Sugarcane Community:
From conversations with several of you, I realize the frustration you and your sugarcane growers are having concerning rust development especially in varieties 384 and 988. The questions are consistent from the growers, “What fungicides can I apply to control sugarcane rust in my crop?” The answer is very plain and simple…NONE! There are no foliar fungicides labeled to manage sugarcane rust!!! Therefore, any recommendation to use fungicides would be an illegal one.
During the last couple of years Dr. Hoy and I have been presenting information concerning yield loss in sugarcane due to rust. We have established that severe losses do occur when conditions are favorable for rust development especially after mild winters. A concoction of fungicides was used as the tool to maintain “clean” checks for comparison to the infected plots.
These studies have led to a comparison of fungicide products against sugarcane rust. The efficacy data generated last year were inconclusive. Multiple sites are being used to generate efficacy data this year. The persistent requests for us to pursue, immediately, an emergency exemption for one or more fungicides to combat sugarcane rust would not be appropriate. There are not enough data to do so. Perhaps there will be after this season.
As always, there will be every effort used to keep you informed so that all of us can help the growers!
If you have questions, please let me know.
Clayton A. Hollier, Ph.D.
Professor, Plant Pathology
Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology
302 Life Science Building
Baton Rouge, LA 70803
225-578-4487
Fax 225-578-1415