characterization and selection of location for resistance to sugarcane brown rust disease under cuban conditions

The sugarcane brown rust disease is caused by fungus Puccinia melanocephala Sydow & P. Sydow and it is one of the more importance diseases. The environment where the sugarcane is cultivated is constituted by numerous factors and its combination contributes to the formation of different development and production conditions, what influences in the varietal disease resistance. With the objective of to characterize and to define the resistance tests location to the brown rust disease were carried out experiments in 6 location of the country. Eleven varieties and six patterns were studied. The climatic variables were analyzed during the period in each location and they were carried out evaluations in different ages of the plant and number of the leaves. The quantity of pustules, long of the most frequent pustules, size of the biggest pustules and area per - centage occupied by pustules were evaluated. The data were analyzed statistically. Differential behavior of the locations and the importance of the relative humidity and the temperatures in the manifestation of the disease symptoms were proven. All the locations were important although similarity exists between Matanzas and Villa Clara and between Camagüey and Holguín. Mayabeque and Santiago de Cuba didn’t present similarity with any other one. These 6 locations can be used for the resistance tests and to define the progenitors’ Santiago de Cuba, Holguín, Villa Clara and Mayabeque