RESEARCH ADVANCES IN SUGARCANE DOWNY MILDEW OF CORN IN TAIWAN

Abstract

Sugarcane downy mildew (DM) of corn (Zea mays L.), caused by Sclerospora sacchari Miyake, is one of the major DM diseases that pose great threats to corn production in the various parts of Southeast Asia. The disease is of particular importance in Taiwan because it attacks both corn and sugarcane which are widely grown in the same areas in Southern Taiwan. Intensive research on sugarcane DM of corn and its control in Taiwan was begun in 1962, following piphytotics in 1960 and 1961. Primary emphasis was placed on the development of resistant varieties and on the ecological study of the disease and its pathogen. Most of the research activities were conducted at the Putza Corn Research Center of the Taiwan District Agricultural Improvement Station (DAIS). Results of the research have been mostly published in the Report of the Corn Research Center by the Taiwan DAIS at 1-2 year intervals and in the Inter Asian Corn Improvement Workshop proceedings. All the literature pertinent to the disease has also been reviewed by Chang in 1970 and 1972 (2,7,8).