Sugarcane wilt

Symptom

The first symptoms of the disease can typically be observed when sugarcane plants are about 4–5 months old, where groups of plants begin to wilt. Infected plants become stunted, and the leaves at the shoot tips turn yellow and wilt. Often, the midrib of the leaf turns yellow while the rest of the leaf blade remains green. As the disease progresses, the leaves dry up, and longitudinal cracks and reddish streaks appear on the stalk. In severe cases, deep, hollow cracks develop along the internodes, expanding progressively.