Depending on the geographical origin of varieties, Visacane  searches for the presence of a dozen sugarcane pathogens, mainly viruses, bacteria or phytoplasmas. They are the pathogens responsible for yellow leaf, leaf scald, ratoon stunting disease, mosaic, streak mosaic, Fiji disease, red mottle disease, streak, Ramu Stunt, or phytoplasmas (white leaf, grassy shoot), etc.

Varieties are regularly monitored as they grow in the quarantine glasshouses. Visual examination is combined with effective diagnosis and detection tools.

Latent diseases

Some diseases develop few or no symptoms in the glasshouse: leaf scald (Xanthomonas albilineans) , yellow leaf (Sugarcane yellow leaf virus)  and ratoon stunting disease (Leifsonia xyli  subsp. xyli)  come in for special surveillance during quarantine. Detection tests are being developed for these pathogens.

A battery of detection tests

CIRAD uses selective growth media, serological tests and molecular methods (PCR, RT-PCR) that provide a precise diagnosis for the bacteria Xanthomonas albilineans and Leifsonia xyli  subsp. xyli,  the viruses SCYLV, SCMV and SrMV, SCSMV, FDV, PCV, SSV, SSEV, SSMV, MSV, and for phytoplasmas.

Which test for which disease?  

Visacane carries out more than 2000 diagnosis tests in the laboratory each year.