In India this disease was first recorded by Barber in year 1901 at the Godawari Delta of Andhra Pradesh.  Presently this disease is of wide occurrence in varying degree where ever the sugarcane crop is under cultivation in the country & particularly rampant in eastern U.P & northern Bihar making these places as hot spots. The disease is most devastating nature has made several promising sugarcane varieties obsolete. Diseased seed setts are the main source of survival & spread of the pathogen.
Symptoms  
• Initially the affected stalks show orange to yellow discoloration in top 2-3 leaves and gradually entire foliage turns yellowish and dry. Brown or reddish brown stripe appear externally at nodal region.
• On splitting the internal tissue becomes red with white transverse band, tissues emit alcoholic sour smell.
• In advance stages canes become shrivelled and longitudinally wrinkled, such canes became lighter in weight and easily broken.

                                                         Red rot disease