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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Subtropical Plant Pathology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #164854
Title: A BIOHERBICIDE SYSTEM TO MANAGE GUINEAGRASS (PANICUM MAXIMUM JACQ.) IN SUGARCANE IN FLORIDA

Author
item CHANDRAMOHAN - UNIV. OF FLORIDA
item SHINE - SUGARCANE GROWERS COOP
item DUCHROW - SUGARCANE GROWERS COOP
item Rosskopf, Erin
item CHARUDATTAN - UNIV. OF FLORIDA

Submitted to: Sugar Cane International
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/1/2004
Publication Date: 3/1/2004
Citation: Chandramohan, Shine, Duchrow, Rosskopf, E.N., Charudattan. 2004. A bioherbicide system to manage guineagrass (panicum maximum jacq.) in sugarcane in Florida. Sugar Cane International. 22(2)28-30.

Interpretive Summary: Three fungi have been developed as biological control agents for a variety of grasses. Recent studies have been performed to test the safety of using the pathogens in a sugar cane production system. Twenty cultivars of sugar cane were tested for susceptibility to the fungi and were found to be unaffected by them. Field trials conducted with the pathogens to control guineagrass in sugar cane were successful when the pathogens were combined with Sunspray 6E and Sunspray 6E and paraffin oil as carriers. Thus, the pathogens have potential for use in a bioherbicide system for guineagrass control in sugar cane.

Technical Abstract: The fungal plant pathogens were found to be pathogenic to guineagrass. Twenty cultivars of sugarcane were screened for susceptibility to the pathogens and were found to be unaffected by them. Two field trials were performed to test the efficacy of the pathogens, Dreshclera gigantean, Exserohilum rostratum, and E. longirostratum, for the control of guineagrass in Florida sugar cane. A mixture of the three pathogens was applied using five formulations. Treatments containing the pathogens and Sunspray 6E (40%) and Sunspray 6E with Paraffin Oil (10%) caused a 90-99% reduction in panicle number per square meter.