Ramu stunt disease

Sugarcane mosaic virus affected plant and sugarcane leafhopper (inset), Eumetopina flavipes, vectors Ramu stunt. Image Bugwood.org

Causal agent: Unknown Tenuivirus

Plant death and failure of ratoon crops occurs in susceptible varieties.

Symptoms

  • Stunting of individual shoots or whole stools.
  • Leaves develop small cream-green flecks, which grow to become 2-5 mm long yellow-green streaks.

Spread

  • Vectored by the island sugarcane leafhopper (Eumetopina flavipes), which is not present in sugarcane-producing areas of Australia.
  • Propagation material can also spread the disease.

High priority pest of: Sugarcane

Scientific name: Unknown
EPPRD Category: 2
Life Form: Unknown

Pest Documents

FS: fact sheet

CP: contingency plan

DP: diagnostic protocol