ABSTRACT

The comparative evaluation of the bacterial and fungal diseases associated with Saccharum officinarum (Sugarcane) in ethnobotanical garden of Wesley University, Ondo was carried out through different microbial processes. The objectives of this work were to comparatively evaluate bacterial and fungal diseases associated with sugarcane in rainy and dry seasons, isolation and identification of bacterial and fungal diseases associated with sugarcane and development of disease inventory associated with sugarcane in the ethnobotanical garden of Wesley University, Ondo. The study started with the isolation of microorganisms from sugarcane soil, stem, leaf and root samples collected in the dry season (January to March). Sample collection continued into the raining season (April to July). The yellow and brown varieties of sugarcane were worked upon in this study. Diseased part of sugarcane plant were sampled and isolation of microorganisms from diseased parts was carried out by using Nutrient agar (NA) and Potato dextrose agar (PDA) Lab M. Plate Count Agar (PCA) was used for the enumeration of the total viable microbial count of the soil samples.

Microorganisms isolated from the diseased parts were identified using cultural, morphological and biochemical characteristics. The bacteria isolates identified in this work were: Bacillus sp., Corynebacerium, sp., Pseudomonas sp., Micrococcus sp., Serratia sp., Staphylococcus sp., Enterococcus sp., while the fungal isolates identified were Colletotrichum falcatum, Penicillium sp., Aspergillus sp., Mucor sp., Rhizopus sp., Saccharomyces sp. There was prevalence of red rot of sugarcane caused by Colletotrichum falcatum in both seasons. The brown variety was resistant to sugarcane disease, the yellow variety was tolerant. The brown variety is hereby recommended for cultivation especially in areas with high sugarcane disease prevalence.