Pokkah boeng or twisted top disease – A new threat to sugarcane cultivation

Pokkah boeng or twisted top disease caused by the Fusarium species complex is a fungal disease reported to cause economic losses in sugarcane crops throughout the world. Currently, the disease has become of major constraint in sugarcane production in many sugarcane-growing countries. The incidence of the disease is highly affected by epidemiological factors and the pathogen spreads through the air currents, with secondary infections occurring in irrigation water, rain splashes, and the soil. Several Fusarium species are reported to be involved in causing pokkah boeng disease, including F. verticillioides, F. sacchari, F. proliferatum, F. subglutinans and F. andiyazi. The disease causes yield losses up to 90 per cent. The traditional methods for identification of Fusarium species are based on the morphology of macroconidia, microconidia, and conidiophores but this process is tedious and needs expertise. Hence, both morphological and molecular phylogenetic analysis is important for the identification of this fungus up to species level. Management practice for this disease includes the use of healthy seed material, the use of resistant varieties, cultural practices, and fungicidal and biological control. However, the development and use of resistant varieties is the most viable and economical approach for this disease. This review summarized the various aspects of pokkah boeng disease like distribution, epidemiology, and disease management strategies.