A review of yield losses caused by Australian and selected exotic sugarcane diseases

Yield loss studies of Australian endemic diseases, and those exotic diseases posing the greatest threat to production in Australia, are reviewed. With most diseases, there is a need for further research, particularly in relating disease intensity to yield loss and in investigating the effect of varietal resistance on this relationship. Important Australian scald, and perhaps ratoon stunting disease 9RSD) (disease intensity vs. yield). The effects of yellow leaf syndrome and sugarcane bacilliform virus are largely unknown and should also be studied. The effect of the important exotic disease, smut, has been well researched overseas.