he inoculums of this pathogen remain viable in the soil and infected plant residues. The bacterium primarily spreads through infected canes. The secondary spread is mainly through rain water, irrigation water and may be through insects. Infected parenchymatous cells may collapse and normal functioning of the plant parts may fail. Continuous ratooning and prolonged rainy weather with low temperature are most favourable for this disease.

Symptoms
The disease first appears on the basal part of the young leaves. The stripes appear as water soaked, long, narrow chlorotic streaks on leaves and turned reddish brown in few days. These stripes are 0.5 to 1 mm in width and 5-100 mm in length and run parallel to the midrib. The stripes mostly confined to lower half of the leaf lamina. The whitish flakes spreads to growing points of the shoot and develop yellowish stripes that later turn reddish brown. The rotting may started from the tip of the shoot and spreads downwards. The core is discoloured to reddish brown and shriveled and form cavity in the centre. In badly affected fields, a foul smell appears.
Management
• When the disease is noticed in the field, the affected plants should be removed and burnt.
• Growing resistant varieties as per recommendation of that areas
• Disease free setts should be selected.
• Avoid to growing alternate hosts near the sugarcane fields.