Leaf scald is often a latent disease of sugarcane that has been inadvertently spread throughout the world with infected cuttings from symptomless plants. It is associated with symptoms that can vary from a single pencil-line leaf streak to death of the entire plant. Serological techniques are most frequently used to detect Xanthomonas albilieans in a host plant but selective media have been developed to aid in diagnosis. Leaf scald is a problem in germplasm exchange. Methods such as hot water treatments exist to avoid the spread from one geographical location to another.