Abstract

                                Pine apple disease caused by Ceratostomella paradoxa do synes was for the first time noticed by Wont in Java in 1893. Since then this has been reported in every sugar producing country through out the world. This is primarily a disease of the stalk. The causal organism is a wound parasite and once it invades the cane stalk it develops rapidly in the parenchyma of the tissue and destroys it. Since the cut ends of the cane setts are exposed, this explains why the disease is very commonly found in the sugar cane setts used for planting. The occurence of this disease is not very common in the standing canes. In 1933 it was reported to have been found in the standing canes in Coimbatore by Subramaniam (L. S.) Incidence, of this disease though reported to be of rare occurence, of late it has been found in several varieties of the standing canes in some places of the sugarcane areas of this tract. The incidence varying from 3.9% to 21.8% was recorded in some varieties of the standing eanes in Nellikuppam area by Subramaniam (C. L.) during the year 1955-'56.

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