DISEASES OF FIELD CASH CROPS

AND THEIR MANAGEMENT

Dr. B. R. Thakur
Plant Pathologist
CSKHPKV, Palampur-
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176 062 1
 DISEASES OF SOYBEAN (Glycine max)

• Brown Spot- Septoria glycines

(Mycosphaerella uspenskajae )
• Pod rot-

• Bacterial Pustule- Xanthomonas

axonopodis pv. glycines
• Target leaf spot- Corynespora cassiicola
 Brown Spot of Soybean

DISEASE: Brown
Spot
PATHOGEN: Septoria
glycines
HOSTS: Soybean
Symptoms and Signs
Small dark brown spots bearing pin head pycnidia
develop on both surfaces of leaves. These spots may
coalesce together to create irregular brown blotches on
the leaves. Infection begins on the lower leaves and
progresses upward. Infected leaves turn brown and yellow
and may drop prematurely.

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Pycnidia with
conidia
 Pre disposing factors
• Wet-warm weather,
• Monoculture of soybeans
and
• Minimum tillage.
 Disease cycle
Septoria glycines overwinters on
infected plant debris as pin head
pycnidia and occasionally on seed.
The pathogen spreads in the form
of conidia released from the soil
(pycnidia) to lower soybean leaves
by splashing rain. Epidemics can
occur in seasons with frequent
rainfall. The spread of the fungus
stops during hot and dry weather.
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 Management strategy
• Use disease free seed.
• Removal and destruction of
infected plant debris.
• Deep tillage .
• Crop rotation.
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 Bacterial Pustule of Soybean
DISEASE: Bacterial Pustule
PATHOGEN: Xanthomonas axonopodis pv.
glycines
HOSTS: Soybean
Symptoms and Signs
Bacterial pustules form in shape of angular lesions on
the leaves with yellow halos. A small raised pustule
usually develops at the centre of the lesion especially on
the lower leaf surface. A magnification device (hand lens,
microscope, etc.) is needed for diagnosis.

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Magnification of bacterial pustules on a
soybean leaflet.
 Pre disposing factors
• Warm-humid weather
conditions and
• Frequent showers prevail
during growing season.
 Disease cycle
The bacterium survives in crop residue and seed.
The primary infection starts mainly from the
seed-borne bacterium. The secondary spread
of the bacteria may be through wind, wind
blown rain splash, irrigation water, insects
and other implements. The bacterium enters
through natural openings or insect caused
wounds. Rain splashes play an important role in
the development and spread of the disease.

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 Management strategy
• Use certified disease free seed.
• Removal and destruction of infected plant
debris.
• Crop rotation with grain crop is recommended
• Two sprays at 45 and 55 DAS with a
mixture of Blitox @ 0.2% +
Streptocycline @ 250ppm effectively control
the disease.

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 Target leaf Spot of Soybean
DISEASE: Target leaf Spot or Root and
Stem Rot
PATHOGEN: Corynespora cassiicola
HOSTS: Soybean
Symptoms and Signs
The disease affects the leaves, stems, pods, seeds, hypocotyls
and roots. The reddish brown leaf lesions are round to
irregular varying from specks to mature spots. A dull green or
yellowish green halo commonly surrounds the lesions, which
often become concentrically ringed at maturity–hence the
name target spot. Severely infected leaves fall prematurely.

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Dark brown spindle shaped lesions form on petiole
and stem. Small blackish brown round lesions are
formed on pods. Dark reddish brown round to oval
lesions form on the hypocotyls and roots sometimes
girdling the lateral roots. The lesions turn a dark
violet brown when the fungus sporulates, producing
masses of conidiophores and conidia
 Pre disposing factors
• Cool-humid weather conditions and
• Frequent showers prevail during growing
season.
• Leaf wetness
• Soil temperatures of 15° to 18° C are optimal
for infection and disease development.
 Disease cycle
The Corynespora fungus perpetuates in infected
soybean debris and seeds and can survive in
fallow soil for more than two years. In cool-
humid weather, the fungus sporulates
abundantly on the cotyledons, stems, and leaves
as violet brown lesions producing masses of
conidiophores and conidia. The microscopic
spores are wind-borne and rain-splashed to
other leaves and stems where secondary
infections occur. The fungus can colonize a
wide range of plant residues in soil as well as the
cysts of the soybean cyst nematode
(Heterodera glycines).
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 Management strategy
• Grow disease-resistant cultivars.
• Use certified disease free seed.
• Removal and destruction of infected plant
debris.
• Crop rotation with corn, sorghum, small
grains, alfalfa, or forage grasses.
• Two sprays of Propiconazole-Tilt 25 EC @
0.1% at 15 days interval.
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 Pod rot of Soybean
DISEASE: Pod rot
PATHOGEN:
Diaporthe
phaseolorum var.
sojae and
Phomopsis
longicolla
HOSTS: Soybean
Symptoms and Signs
Phomopsis pod and stem blight are readily apparent
after the plants reach physiological maturity. Dead
petioles, stems, and pods may be covered with small
black specks, which are the fruiting bodies of the
fungus (pycnidia). The pycnidia are usually arranged
in parallel rows along the stem. During less favorable
weather conditions, pycnidia may be confined to small
areas of the stem near the soil surface or around the
lower nodes of the stem. Pycnidia are found
scattered on discolored and poorly developed pods.
 Pre disposing factors
• Warm-wet weather.
• Prolonged wet periods after flowering and pod
set favor the infection and development of pod
and stem blight.
• Higher soil temperature.
 Disease cycle
Phomoposis -Diaporthe fungi overwinter
as pycnidia on soybean residues that were
infected the previous season. In the spring,
spores ooze from the pycnidia and are
splashed by rain onto the plants where
they infect stems and developing pods.
When infected seeds are planted, poor
emergence and stands result from
seedling death. Higher soil temperature
favors the development of seed rot and
seedling blight phase.
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 Management strategy
• Grow disease-resistant cultivars.
• Use certified disease free seed.
• Removal and destruction of infected plant
debris.
• Crop rotation with wheat or corn.
• Spray Propiconazole-Tilt 25 EC @ 0.1% at
midflowering to late pod stage at 15 days
interval.
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DISEASES OF BLACK GRAM (Vigna
mungo)- MASH and GREEN GRAM
(Vigna radiata)-MOONG
 ANTHRACNOSE of BLACK GRAM (Vigna
mungo)- MASH and GREEN GRAM (Vigna
radiata)-MOONG
DISEASE: Anthracnose
PATHOGEN:
Colletotrichum
lindemuthianum
HOSTS: Black gram
(Vigna mungo)- MASH
and Green gram (Vigna
radiata)-MOONG
Symptoms and Signs
The fungus attacks all aerial plant parts at any
stage of plant growth. Characteristic symptoms are
circular, black, sunken spots with dark center and
bright red orange margins on leaves and pods. In
severe infections, the affected parts wither off.
Seedlings get blighted due to infection soon after
seed germination.
 Pre disposing factors
• Cool-wet weather.
• The temperature range for
infection is 13-26º C
• High relative humidity (>90%).
 Disease cycle
Colletotrichum lindemuthianum
overwinters in crop debris or seed as
acervuli and hence, soil and seed
borne. Conidia spread through wind
and rain. The temperature range for
infection is 55-80°F and high relative
humidity (>90%) is also required.

32
 Management strategy
• Grow disease-resistant cultivars.
• Use certified disease free seed.
• Crop rotation with wheat or corn.
• Seed treatment-Hot water (52˚ C
for11minutes) or Carbendazim or Thiram @ 2
g/kg of seed 24 hours.
• Spray mancozeb or carbendazim @ 0.25% at
10 and 15 days intervals.
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 Macrophomina Blight of BLACK GRAM (Vigna
mungo)- MASH and GREEN GRAM (Vigna
radiata)-MOONG
DISEASE: Macrophomina
Blight
PATHOGEN:
Macrophomina phaseolina
HOSTS: Black gram
(Vigna mungo)- MASH
and Green gram (Vigna
radiata)-MOONG
Symptoms and Signs
• In pre-emergence stage, the fungus causes seed rot and also
rotting of germinating seedlings
• In post-emergence stage, seedlings get blighted due to soil
or seed borne infection.
• Decay of secondary roots and shredding of the cortex region
of the tap root are symptoms.
• Small, circular, brown spots appear on the cotyledons or on
young leaves.
• At pod formation stage, some of the veins in the leaf
develop copperry colour.
• As the severity increases, drooping of leaves occurs due to
weakening and breakage of the veins. Such leaves droop,
dry and shed.
 Ruptured Pycnidium
Sclerotial development of Macrophomina phaseolina

Pycnidia Conidia
Sclerotial development of Macrophomina phaseolina
 Pre disposing factors
• Warm -humid conditions
• High crop densities impact
disease severity.
 Disease cycle
The pathogen can survive in seed, soil, diseased plant
parts and collateral host plants. Fungus survives in
upper layers of the soil and enters plant through
stem.The severity of the disease increases with the
increase in temperature.

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 Management Strategy
Host resistance
• Grow Resistant varieties.
Biological control
• Trichoderma bioformulations-through seed dressing and
soil application
Cultural control.
• Deep ploughing.
• Clean cultivation.
• Crop rotation with a non pulse crop.
Chemical control:
• Seed treatment with carbendazim + Thiram in the ratio of
1:2.
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 BLIGHT of BLACK GRAM (Vigna mungo)-
MASH and GREEN GRAM (Vigna radiata)-
MOONG
DISEASE: Blight
PATHOGEN:
Rhizoctonia solani
HOSTS: Black gram
(Vigna mungo)-
MASH and Green
gram (Vigna
radiata)-MOONG
Symptoms and Signs
• The pathogens cause seed
decay, root rot, damping-off,
seedling blight, stem canker
and leaf blight.
• The disease occurs
commonly at podding stage.
• In the initial stages, the
fungus causes seed rot,
seedling blight and root rot
symptoms.
• The affected leaves turn yellow in colour and
brown irregular lesions appear on leaves.
• On coalescence of such lesions, big blotches
are formed and the affected leaves start drying
prematurely.
• Roots and basal portion of the stem become
black in colour and the bark peels off easily.
• The affected plants dry up gradually.
• When the tap root of the affected plant is split
open, reddening of internal tissues is visible.
 Pre disposing factors
• Warm -humid conditions
• Water logged conditions.
• High crop densities impact
disease severity.
 Life cycle
Rhizoctonia solani survives in the soil and on
infected crop debris as sclerotia
ormycelium. Sclerotia are known to survive for
several years in the soil. The fungi spread by water
(flooding), irrigation, movement of contaminated soil,
and plant debris. At the onset of the growing season,
in response to favorable humidity and temperatures
(15 to 35°C), fungal growth is attracted to freshly
planted host crops by chemical stimulants released by
growing plant cells. The fungi infect plants, leading to
characteristic symptoms on the stem, sheaths, leaves
and ears. The fungi overwinter as sclerotia or in 45
 Management Strategy

Host resistance
• Grow Resistant varieties.
Biological control
•Trichoderma bioformulations-through seed
dressing and soil application
Cultural control
•Composting of hardwood.
•Fields should be well drained prior to planting.

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WILT of BLACK GRAM (Vigna mungo)- MASH
and GREEN GRAM (Vigna radiata)-MOONG

DISEASE: Wilt
PATHOGEN:
Fusarium oxysporum
HOSTS: Black gram
(Vigna mungo)-
MASH and Green
gram (Vigna
radiata)-MOONG
Symptoms and Signs
Withering (Drying up) of plant occurs at two stages
of crop growth- seedling and flowering or adult
stage. Vascular discoloration is observed on
longitudinal splitting of stem. Partial wilt also
happens when only a few branches are affected.
 Pre disposing factors
• High soil temperature
• High soil moisture
• Monoculture and
• Presence of weed hosts
 Disease cycle
The fungus may be seed-borne and survives in
infected plant debris in soil in the form of
chlamydospores or macro and micro-conidia.
The primary infection is through
chlamydospores in soil, which remain viable
upto next crop season. The weed hosts also
serve as a source of inoculum. The secondary
spread is through irrigation water, cultural
operations and implements.
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 Management Strategy
• Grow resistant varieties.
• Treat the seeds with Carbendazim or
Thiram at 2 g/kg seeds or with
Trichoderma harzianum at 4 g/kg of seed.
• Apply heavy doses of organic manure or
green manure.
• Crop rotation with non-host crops.

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 POWDERY MILDEW
of BLACK GRAM (Vigna mungo)- MASH and
GREEN GRAM (Vigna radiata)-MOONG
DISEASE:
Powdery mildew
PATHOGEN:
Erysiphe polygoni
HOSTS:
Black gram (Vigna mungo)-
MASH and Green gram
(Vigna radiata)-MOONG
Symptoms and Signs
Small, irregular powdery spots
appear on the upper surface of the
leaves. When the infection is severe,
both surfaces of the leaf are
completely covered by whitish
powdery growth and foliage becomes
yellow causing premature
defoliation. The white powdery spots
completely cover the petioles, stem
and even the pods. The plant assumes
greyish white appearance at later
 Pre disposing factors
• Warm-less weather.
• The disease is severe generally
during late kharif and rabi
seasons.
 Disease cycle
The fungus is an obligate parasite and survives
as cleistothecia in the infected plant debris.
Primary infection is usually from ascospores
released from perennating cleistothecia. The
secondary spread is carried out by the air-borne
conidia. Rain splash also helps in the spread of
the disease.

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 Management Strategy
• Remove and destroy infected plant debris.
•Spray twice with Carbendazim or Thiophanate
methyl or Tridemorph @0.1%, one immediately
after disease appearance and the second after 15
days.
•Grow tolerant black gram cultivar like Krishnayya
and green gram cultivars like
JGUM 1, TARM 1, Pusa 9072, WGG 48 and WGG
62.

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Cercospora leaf spot of BLACK GRAM (Vigna
mungo)- MASH and GREEN GRAM (Vigna
radiata)-MOONG
DISEASE: Cercospora
leaf spot
PATHOGEN: Cercospora
canescens
HOSTS: Black gram
(Vigna mungo)- MASH
and Green gram (Vigna
radiata)-MOONG
Symptoms and Signs
Small, circular spots develop on the
leaves with grey centre and reddish
brown margins. The several spots
coalesce to form brown irregular
lesions. Under favourable
environmental conditions, severe leaf
spotting and defoliation occurs at
the time of flowering and pod
formation. The brown lesions may be
seen on petioles, branches and pods in
severe cases.
 Pre disposing factors
• Cool-Humid weather
• Dense plant population.
 Disease cycle
The fungus survives on diseased
plant debris in soil and on seeds.
The secondary spread is by air-
borne conidia

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 Management Strategy

• Remove and burn infected plant

debris.
• Spray [email protected]% or
[email protected]%
• Grow tolerant black gram varieties
like UG 135, TPU 4, TPU 5, TPU 11,
TPU 12, AKU 4 and SP 21
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Yellow mosaic of BLACK GRAM (Vigna
mungo)- MASH and GREEN GRAM
(Vigna radiata)-MOONG
DISEASE: Yellow mosaic
PATHOGEN: Mungbean yellow mosaic virus
HOSTS: Black gram (Vigna mungo)- MASH
and Green gram (Vigna radiata)-MOONG
Symptoms and Signs
Initially irregular yellow and green
patches alternating with each other.
The yellow discoloration slowly
increases and newly formed leaves
may completely turn yellow.
Infected leaves also show necrotic
symptoms and infected plants
normally mature late and bear a
very few flowers and pods. The
pods are small and distorted.
 Pre disposing factors
• Summer sown crops are highly
susceptible.
• The presence of weed hosts
viz., Croton sparsiflorus, Eclipta
alba and Cosmos pinnatus and
legume hosts.
 Disease cycle
The virus survives in the
weed hosts and other
legume crops. The disease
spreads through white fly,
Bemisia tabaci.
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 Management Strategy
• Remove the weed hosts peiodically.
•Increase the seed rate (25 kg/ha).
•Grow resistant black gram varieties like Teja, and Pant-30
• Grow resistant green gram varieties like LGG 407 and ML
267.
• Treat seeds with Imidacloprid 70 WS @ 5ml/kg to control
vector.
• Give one foliar spray of systemic insecticide (Dimethoate @
750 ml/ha) on 30 days after sowing.

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Leaf crinkle of BLACK GRAM
(Vigna mungo)- MASH and GREEN
GRAM (Vigna radiata)-MOONG
DISEASE: Leaf crinkle
PATHOGEN: Leaf crinkle
virus
HOSTS: Black gram
(Vigna mungo)- MASH
and Green gram (Vigna
radiata)-MOONG
Symptoms and Signs
The symptom appears initially in
young leaves. The enlargement of
4th or 5th leaf is seen four or five
weeks after sowing. Later crinkling
and curling of the tips of leaflets
are seen. The petioles as well as
internodes are shortened. The
infected plant gives a stunted and
bushy appearance. Inflorescence,
if formed, is malformed and turns
with small size flower buds and
 Pre disposing factors
• The presence of weed hosts like
Aristolochia bracteata and Digera
arvensis.
• Kharif season crop is highly susceptible.
• Continuous cropping of other legumes
which also harbour the virus.
 Disease cycle
The virus is seed-borne and
primary infection occurs through
infected seeds. White fly,
Bemisia tabaci, helps in the
secondary spread. The virus is
also transmissible through aphids
and Epilachna beetles
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 Management Strategy
• Use increased seed rate (25 kg/ha).
• Hot water treatment of the seed at 550C
for 30 minutes.
• Cultivate seed crop during rabi season.
• Remove weed hosts periodically.
• Spray Monocrotophos or Methyl
demeton on 30 and 40 days after sowing
at 500 ml/ha.
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Leaf crinkle of BLACK GRAM
(Vigna mungo)- MASH and GREEN
GRAM (Vigna radiata)-MOONG
DISEASE: Leaf crinkle
PATHOGEN: Leaf crinkle
virus
HOSTS: Black gram
(Vigna mungo)- MASH
and Green gram (Vigna
radiata)-MOONG