• Pokkah boeng is a re- emerging disease in sugarcane.
• It is a Javanese term denoting a malformation or distorted top.
• It is caused by the Fusarium species complex.
• Severity of Pokkah boeng disease incidence increases with the occurrence of the crown mealybug Phenacoccus saccharifolii coincides with summer months of April-July.
• The mealybug P. saccharifolii colonizes the crown region of the crop and associated with black ant Camponotus compressus.
• Profuse honey dew secretion by the crown mealybugs leads to extensive sooty mould (Capnodium sp.) growth on the leaves.
• Three to seven months old plant crops are most susceptible to the disease, whereas in ratoon one month old crops itself got affected by the Pokkah boeng disease.

• Chlorotic phase (chlorotic, rough, wrinkling, twisting and shortening of the leaves).
• Top rot phase (growing point is killed and the entire top of the plant dies).
• Knife cut phase (Its look like the tissues of the stem are removed with a sharp knife).
• Shortening of internodes.
• Bud sprouting (it occurs during before maturation of crop).

• Pokkah boeng is caused by the Fusarium species complex (Fusarium sacchari, Fusarium proliferatum, Fusarium verticillioides etc.,).

• Pokkah boeng was favoured by warm, moist condition and additionally, summer showers with cloudy weather also favour disease development

• Pokkah boeng is an air-borne disease
  Primary spread : Air-current
  Secondary spread : Infected setts, irrigation water, splashed rains and soil

• The pathogen (Fusarium) can survive for 12 months in the plant debris under natural conditions.

• The following Integrated pest and disease Management practices is recommended to manage the Pokkah boeng disease in sugarcane.

Physical methods:

• Before spraying ensure detrashing.
• Monitor the movement of ants regularly.
• Removal of infected plant parts showing top rot and knife cut symptoms .

Chemical method

• Sett treatment with Propiconazole 25% EC (1ml/lit.) + Imidacloprid 70 WS (1ml/lit.) for 20 minutes as prophylactic measures (Plant crop).
• Application of recommended dose of fertilizers and micro nutrients after every ratoon and at the time of earthing up.
• Spraying of TNAU Sugarcane Booster @ 1kg, 1.5kg and 2kg at 45, 60, 75 days respectively after planting / ratooning.
• Spraying with Propiconazole 25% EC 1ml + Imidacloprid 17.8% SL 0.4 ml + sticking agent 1ml + water 1lit. soon after the appearance of symptom. If incidence noticed again, spraying with Propiconazole 25% EC (1ml/l) + Flonicamid 50 WG (0.3g/l) or Clothianidine 50 WDG (0.5g/l) @ 20 days interval.