Control of sugarcane smut (Ustilago scitaminea syd) disease in Nigeria and suggestions for an integrated pest management approach

Sugarcane smut (Ustilago scitaminea) is the most prevalent and serious disease of sugarcane in Nigeria. Efforts made so far to check its destructive effects on the growing sugarcane industry have centred on use of single-strategy controls. These are pre-plant heat therapy of planting setts; pre-plant fungicidal dips of planting setts and screening of sugarcane clones for identification of resistant varieties against the pathogen. Current awareness suggests that these singlestrategy controls may not be adequate for many sugarcane pests and diseases including smut. This paper highlights some basic considerations to be put in place for the attainment of the IPM strategy for smut management. Also highlighted are known options offered by genetic engineering that could be exploited in combination with numerous other single-strategy controls in the conceived IPM model for sugarcane smut management in Nigeria.