Mann R S1, Sharma B K2 1GCREC Wimauma, Fl, USA, 2Dept of PBGB, PAU Ludhiana, India

Association and relationships between vectors and pathogen have been studied infinitely for more extensively for viral, mycoplasma and some bacterial diseases of plants but the role of insects in the transmission of fungal pathogens has been thoroughly investigated in very few fungal diseases. Wilt disease of sugarcane caused by Fusarium moniliforme (Gibberella fujikuroi) is one of the most destructive diseases of sugarcane. Wilt infection is generally considered to be associated with root borer, Polyocha depresella infestation. The associations between sugarcane wilt and root borer, Polyocha depresella was investigated through field survey, field experiments and laboratory experiments at Sugarcane research Farm Ladhowal, India. The results indicated that wilt and root borer incidence were positively correlated. Most of the canes infested with wilt were also infested with root borer. The root borer infestation in the wilted canes varied from 76.48 to 100.00 per cent, during different years while on the other hand only 23.33 to 44.54 of the root borer infested canes showed the wilt symptoms. Root borer was able to carry the wilt pathogen and induced the symptoms in next year’s ratoon crop. Wilt did not affect the root borer larval development as the larvae reared on healthy canes and wilt infested canes weighed statistically similar.