Cane smut entrenched in Queensland sugar

Tuesday, 26/08/2008

New research predicts the Queensland sugar industry will see a rapid spread of cane smut over the next year.

Smut, which reduces the amount of sugar that's harvested, was first found in Childers in 2006 and has since shown up in many of Queensland's cane growing areas.

Scientist Dr Rob Magarey says once the disease establishes itself in a district, it doesn't take long to dominate the crop.

"The study is showing that when smut is first noticed in a particular district, within 2 or 3 years it's going to spread right across that district and probably infect every far - not every crop infested, but every farm infested."

source;abc.net