Studies were conducted on the induction of chitinases and thaumatin-like proteins (TLPs) in sugarcane varieties differing in resistance to Colletotrichum falcatum causing red rot disease. The pathogen was inoculated in leaf and stalk tissues of sugarcane varieties and induction of these pathogenesisrelated (PR) proteins was assayed at different time intervals by Western blot. The red rot-resistant cultivar Co 93009 showed induction of four chitinase proteins with molecular masses of 39, 36, 35 and 34 kDa after pathogen inoculation. The intensity of these proteins increased with time from 6 to 42 hr after inoculation. In the susceptible variety CoC 671 an induction of a 35 kDa chitinase protein was recorded. Uninoculated tissues of both resistant and susceptible varieties showed presence of a 26 kDa chitinase protein. Induction of a 35 kDa chitinase protein was recorded 24 hr after inoculation in stalk samples of the resistant variety whereas in susceptible plants such induction was delayed. In leaves no such differential induction of TLP proteins was found in response to pathogen inoculation as in the case of chitinases. In stalk samples, early induction of 43 and 37.5 kDa TLPs was observed in response to pathogen inoculation in the resistant variety whereas in the susceptible variety such induction was less intense and could be seen eight and nine days after inoculation. The present study indicates a possible role of these PR proteins in conferring red rot resistance in sugarcane.