African Journal of Agriculture

Molecular characterisation of Mycovellosiella koepki, the causal agent of yellow spot disease of sugarcane

V.M. Ranghoo-Sanmukhiya¹* and A. Dookhun-Saumtally²

¹Faculty of Agriculture, University of Mauritius, Reduit, Mauritius.

²Biotechnology department, Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute, Reduit, Mauritius.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected].

Accepted 14 April, 2013

Abstract

Yellow spot of sugarcane is a fungal disease caused by Mycovellosiella koepki. Yellow spot symptoms are variable and differ in several sugarcane varieties and the existence of more than one strain of the fungus has been evoked. 29 isolates of the fungus were characterised morphologically and no significant differences were observed on the type, colour and size of the spores. Following restriction digestion of the ITS region, no significant differences were observed among isolates of the fungus and DNA sequencing of this region of the ribosomal DNA confirmed the absence of polymorphisms among the fungal strains.