Yellow leaf disease, a major sugarcane pest in Brazil, is caused by a virus resistant to thermal treatment. An infected plantation can be saved only by growing plantlets in tissue culture in the laboratory and planting them out, a time-consuming process that requires specialized infrastructure and personnel. According to a group of scientists who have long studied the problem, the most effective way to control the disease is to develop varieties that are resistant to the sugarcane yellow leaf virus. This is the purpose of a project that is being conducted with FAPESP's support.
By Phys.org