Ratoon stunting disease caused by Leifsonia xyli subsp. xyli is one of the most important bacterial diseases of sugarcane (Saccharum spp.). A ratoon stunting desease survey was carried in 32 sugarcane producing areas from two mills in the northwest region of Paraná State through a dot blot serological protocol and a polymerase chain reaction-based assay. A total of 1395 samples were collected in areas planted with 8 varieties and 2 sugarcane clones collected from plants at different harvest periods. The bacterium was detected in the fibrovascular fluid of the SP77-5181 variety from a producing area in a 23% rate of incidence. These data indicated that Leifsonia xyli subsp. xyli is present in the northwest region of Paraná.
Ratoon-stunt disease; sorology; PCR
