Evaluation of Cercospora Leaf Spot on Sugar Cane (Saccharum officinarum) in Jigawa State, North West Nigeria

Sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum) cultivation in Jigawa State represents a growing agribusiness opportunity supported by federal and state agricultural investment programmes. Cercospora leaf spot, caused by Cercospora longipes, is a recognised foliar disease of sugar cane associated with reduced photosynthetic area and compromised stalk quality under severe infection pressure. This undergraduate study evaluated the incidence and severity of Cercospora leaf spot on sugar cane in three local government areas of Jigawa State during 2023. Forty-five farms were assessed using belt transects and disease scoring based on the proportion of leaf area affected. C. longipes was confirmed as the causal agent through morphological and sequence-based identification. Leaf spot incidence was 48 percent across all assessed plots, with incidence peaking during July and August, coinciding with high humidity and frequent rainfall. Farms using narrow spacing and overhead irrigation showed significantly higher incidence than plots under drip irrigation. Most farmers were unaware of Cercospora leaf spot as a distinct disease entity and attributed symptoms to drought stress or mineral deficiency. Growers who applied fungicide addressed symptoms with broad-spectrum products rather than targeted alternatives. The study recommends expanded training for extension workers on sugar cane disease diagnosis and the evaluation of spacing and irrigation method effects on Cercospora management at district demonstration plots. Keywords: sugar cane, Cercospora leaf spot, Cercospora longipes, Jigawa, disease evaluation.