FINDING THE ROOT CAUSE OF FREQUENTLY PREVALENT DISEASE IN SUGARCANE FROM SOME DISEASED FIELDS OF SINDH, PAKISTAN

Abstract

Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum, L.) is the third major crop of Pakistan. It is not only an important sugar crop but also a source of raw material for various agro-based industries in Pakistan. Sugarcane yields have been severely reduced in many parts of Asia by some diseases which include white leaf and grassy shoot phytoplasma diseases. The current research was intended to identify the causative agent responsible for the disease in sugarcane crop. The samples were collected from the diseased ridden fields of Sindh, Pakistan with the symptoms closely related to phytoplasma infection. For the detection of phytoplasma, nested-PCR was aimed to perform. The reliable molecular tool for the detection of phytoplasma was found to be Nested PCR using P1/P7. Total DNA from different parts of plant such as; roots, stem, leaves and the leaves infected with white fly, were extracted by CTAB and phenol/ chloroform extraction methods.  Universal primer pair P1/P7 were used to amplify a portion of the 16S rRNA gene in phytoplasma. Negative results were obtained when symptom full plant host were subjected to PCR and then gel electrophoresis were carried out. Results of the current study indicated that the indication of phytoplasma disease symptoms such as chlorosis and stunted growth, can also be the result of low levels of minerals/ nutrients (iron and others) in the field soil. Application of ferrous sulphate in soil or in parts of the affected crop might cure the symptoms and increase the yield of sugarcane.