J. P. MARTIN Ex$eriment Station, Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association SUGAR CANE QUARANTINE IN HAWAII*

Transcription

1 PART VI PATHOLOGY

2 SUGAR CANE QUARANTINE IN HAWAII* J. P. MARTIN Ex$eriment Station, Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association Sugar cane yields throughout the world have been maintained and improved mainly by developing superior varieties through a systematic breeding and testing program. To carry out such a program, it is essential for the geneticists to have at their disposal a collection of the world's outstanding cane varieties. Since 1923, such a collection has been built up in Hawaii by importing cane material, either as cuttings of specific varieties or as true cane seeds (fuzz) which are collected from tassels of crosses made abroad as well as from tassels of wild types of cane possessing desired characteristics. Within the past 35 years, 320 varieties and 247 lots of sugar-cane fuzz, representing 10 separate shipments, have been introduced into Hawaii. All cane material has been imported through a rigid quarantine system in compliance with special rules and regulations stipulated by this Station and by the U.S. Federal and Territorial Governments. The objective of maintaining a quarantine on imported cane material is to prevent the entrance of, or reduce to a minimum the chances of introducing, a new disease or insect, either of which could cause serious losses to the industry. There is less risk from importing cane fuzz than cane cuttings. All matters pertaining to the importation of cane material into the Territory, and the quarantine imposed on such material, are handled by a committee, consisting of the Director of this Station, as Chairman, I member from the Agronomy Department and 2 members from the Genetics, and Pathology Departments. In 1928, all quarantine facilities were transferred from the island of Oahu to the island of Mololcai, where no cane is grown commercially. The quarantine facilities on. Molokai consist of I small (25 x 25 ft.) and I large (60 x 75 ft.) screened glass house, with a vestibule connecting the two (Fig. I), and the quarantine fields, which are well isolated from the houses. Cane cuttings are grown in the smaller house for 11 months and then in the quarantine fields for 11 months. The cane fuzz is handled in the larger unit. All cane material in quarantine is periodically inspected by entomologists and * Published with the approval of the Director, as Paper No. 56 in the Journal Series of the Experiment Station, Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association, Honolulu, Hawaii.

3 I022 PATHOLOGY pathologists, and occasionally by other members of the Committee. Only members of the Quarantine Committee are admitted to the quarantine houses, and ;very person entering changes to suitable clothing, kept in the vestibule for this purpose. A log book is maintained in each house where entries are made on the start of the quarantine, varieties imported, treatments, fertilization, irrigations, growth of canes, and observations of insects or diseases. Fig. I. The quarantine honses at Mapulehu, Mololrai, where imported cane material undergoes the first part of its quarantine period. Cane Cuttings Whenever possible, imported varieties are secured from the U.S. Department of Agriculture since they have already been through a quarantine period. The sealed container in which the canes are shipped is, upon arrival in Honolulu, taken to Mololrai and opened within the small quarantine house. The cuttings are examined by at least one entomologist and one pathologist, given the hot-water treatment, 52" C for 20 minutes (H.W.T.), dipped in phenyl mercuric acetate solution (I part 10% P.M.A. in 400 parts of water), and planted in sterilized soil in large, sterilized, concrete pots or metal containers, within the quarantine house. All wrappings, containers, packing material, and discarded cuttings or portions thereof, are steam sterilized and removed from the house. The varieties are grown from 4 to 6 months in association with 4 local commercial varieties, at which time 3 to 5 cuttings of each variety are select'ed, given the H.W.T., dipped in P.M.A., and again planted in sterilized soil in the quarantine house. The ratoons from the original plantings, including soil, pots and cane parts, are steam sterilized and discarded as soon as the newly planted cuttings have germinated. At the end of the quarantine peri~d within the house (11 months), cuttings of each variety are selected; 4 of each lot is given the H.W.T. and the other half the L.H.W.T. (50" C for z hours). All discarded cane parts and soil are steam sterilized and removed from the house.

4 J. P. MARTIN 1023 The cuttings of the imported and local varieties released from the small house are planted with additional local varieties in a quarantine field for a period of 11 months. At the completion of the field quarantine, cuttings of the imported varieties from the L.H.W.T. plantings are selected, given the H.W.T., dipped in P.M.A. and released for planting elsewhere in the Territory. Sugar-cane fuzz has been imported from Australia, India, Fiji, New Britain, New Guinea and the Solomons. The material collected in the country of origin is dried and packed in cloth bags with a drying agent, such as calcium chloride. Upon arrival in Hawaii, the sealed package containing the fuzz is taken into the large greenhouse on Molokai and opened inside a large cotton flour bag wetted with mercuric chloride (I : 1000). All wrappings and packing material are placed in the same antiseptic and after removal of the drying agent the bags containing the fuzz are also dipped. The fuzz, still in the bag, is treated in a HgC1, solution (I : 5000) for 20 minutes at 52" C and immediately cooled with tap water. The fuzz is then planted in sterilized soil according to the usual method used in seedling propagation. The seedlings, after reaching a height of from 4 to 7 in., are planted individually in soil beds within the house. At the end of 6 months, cuttings of the selected seedlings are freed from trash, given the H.W.T., dipped in P.M.A., and planted with local varieties under field quarantine for 11 months. The disposal of all cane material remaining in the house is similar to that governing the importation of cane cuttings. At the completion of the field quarantine, representative cuttings from each lot of seedlings are selected, given the H.W.T. dipped in P.M.A., and sent to the substations of this Station. Here they are propagated and used in the breeding program. The importation of varieties into Hawaii through the quarantine system, as described above, has been invaluable to the sugar industry. For example, the commercial varieties , and were developed by using in the crossing work such imported canes as P.O. J (Java), Co. 213 (India), and forms of S. Robusturn (New Guinea). Furthermore, sugar-cane diseases in Hawaii, as in other parts of the world, have been most effectively controlled by breeding resistant varieties to replace the susceptible ones. DISCUSSIONS P. E. ROBINSON (Australia): In announcing this Pathology session, I wish to extend a sincere welcome to all delegates in attendance. Your elected chairman, MR. GRAHAM HUGHES, a fellolu Australian, has regrettably been unable to attend and has asked me to convey his best wishes for a successful meeting. The importailce of adequate quarantine in all countries will be brought out in this symposium and the danger of the introduction of new or known virulent diseases should always r l in the forefroi~t of the pathologist's thinking. Ways and means in the form of ever quiclcer travel by air or the unwitting tourist are continually aiding and abetting pathogens. The.situation in Hawaii, with its admirable disease-free status is the envy of the world, and has beell maintained by a most sensible system of quarantine. R. STEIB (U.S.A.): I-IOW is the fuzz treated and planted in the quarantine greenhouse? J. P. MARTIN (Hawaii): The fuzz is collected in the country of origin and is dried there; it is then paclred in cloth bags with a drying agent such as calcium chloride. Upon arrival in Hawaii it is talcen to Mololrai in the sealed packages wl~ich are opened within a large cotton flour bag in the large quarantine house. The bag is wetted with merculic bichloride at a concentration of I to 1000 and the fuzz within the small bag is treated with mercuric bichloride at I : 5000 for 20 minutes at 52' C. The luzz is then cooled and planted in sterilized soil according to the regular technique the geneticists nse for planting fuzz. The plants, after reaching the height of 4 to 8 in., are transplanted I 1.

5 1024 PATHOLOGY from the flats to large beds in the quarantine house. At the end of 6 months, cuttings are selected from the ~ndividuals that the geneticists wish of that particular group, and are given the short hotwater treatment (5z0 C for 20 minutes). The cuttings are removed from the house and planted under field quarantine. At the end of the field quarantine, representative cuttings from each lot are selected, given the hot-water treatment, dipped in P.M.A., and sent to the various regional stations for breedriig work and/or further planting. R. ANTOINE (Mauritius): I would like to ask about the foot mats when entering a quarantine house. DR. STOKES stated they were using carbollnium and the objection was that of staining the shoes. Could MR. MARTIN tell us what he is using? MR. MARTIN: We use a 5% to 7% solution of Lysol which is not too objectionable. P. E. ROBINSON (Australia): The Sydney quarantine houses are entered through a separate annex where a complete removal of clothing, including shoes, is carried out. ORGANIZATION AND MAINTENANCE OF QUARANTINE FOR SUGAR CANE IMP~RTED INTO JAVA HAN LIOE HONG Proefstation voor de Java-Sztikeri~zdustrie, Java In Java, the question of safeguarding the local industry from the introduction of new pests and diseases with imported planting material was considered as early as In 1889, SOLTWEDEL sought an isolated site on the Karimoen Djawa Islands for a quarantine station, but died before his plan was completed. In the following year,. Ko~us, at that time Director of the Sugar Experiment Station, was charged with the solution of the problem. He established a quarantine station on the Island of Bangka, but as imports subsequently declined, the station was closed. Java was then without quarantine facilities. The few importations were planted in the fields of the Sugar Experiment Station at Pasuran in as isolated a position as possible and carefully inspected. In 1928, however, in anticipation of increased importations, the Ranoe Daroengan Quarantine Station was established on the southern slope of Mount Smeroe at a height of about 825 m above sea level. It was abandoned after the Second World War, when it was found impossible to maintain it properly. In 1953, plans were made to increase the number of imported cane varieties, and a station was established the following year on a palm oil estate known as "Bekri" situated near Tandjung Korang in South Sumatra. Sugar cane is not grown on a commercial scale in Sumatra and the island is separated from Java by the Sunda Strait. The Bekri Station is 60 x 68 m with a total of 1020 plantholes, and there is provision for expansion if necessary. The quarantine system now practised commences with the issuing of an import licence by the Ministry of Agriculture to the Pasuran Sugar Experiment Station. On arrival, the imported cuttings are fumigated with methyl bromide by the Government quarantine officials at Djakarta, and then sent by plane to Bekri, where the cuttings are disinfected in I/IOOO mercuric chloride and planted in bamboo baskets. The packing material is burnt. After some weeks, the plants are transferred to the field, where they are planted in holes at 2-m spacings, with 4 holes per variety. The imported canes are flanked on one side by the 4 main local varieties, viz. P.O. J. 2878, P.O. J. 2967, P.O. J and P.O. J The plants are inspected every 2 or 3 months by the pathologist-entomologist. After 7 to 8 months, depending on the variety, cuttings are given the long hot-