Field library

Smut

This is a fungus disease. A long black whip pushes out of the top of the cane, covered in black dust. Infected stools throw thin grassy shoots instead of proper cane, and give almost no sugar. The black dust blows onto healthy plants and also travels inside seed cane to the next crop.

How to scout

Walk the rows every week from tillering on and look for any cane with a black or grey whip out of its top, or any stool throwing thin grassy shoots.