Prepared and Compiled by

Dr. A. M. Patel
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 Diseases of Wheat
2 Diseases of Sugarcane
3 Diseases of Sunflower
4 Diseases of Mustard
5 Diseases of Gram
6 Diseases of Lentil
7 Diseases of Pea
8 Diseases of Mango
9 Diseases of Citrus
10 Diseases of Grapevine
11 Diseases of Guava
12 Diseases of Ber
13 Diseases of Apple
14 Diseases of Peach
15 Diseases of Strawberry
16 Diseases of Sapota
17 Diseases of Potato
18 Diseases of Cucurbits
19 Diseases of Onion and Garlic
20 Diseases of Chilli
21 Diseases of Ginger and Turmeric
22 Diseases of Fenugreek
23 Diseases of Cumin
24 Diseases of Fennel
25 Diseases of Coriander
26 Diseases of Cruciferous vegetables
27 Diseases of Marigold
28 Diseases of Rose
 Practical 1: Diseases of Wheat
1. Wheat Rust
Rusts are among the earliest known disease of crop plant. Three different types of rusts are commonly
infecting wheat.
(I) Black or stem rust:
Causal Organism:
Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici (Pers.) Eriks. & Henn.
 Puccinia graminis is long cycled rust (macro cyclic). At the time of reproduction it produces five distinct
stages in a regular sequence.
These are as follows:
 Stage 0: Spermogonia bearing spermatia and receptive hyphae.
 Stage I: Aecia bearing aeciospores.
 Stage II: Uredia bearing uredospores.
 Stage III: Telia bearing teleutospores.
 Stage IV: Promycelia bearing basidiospores.
Out of these five stages, Uredo stage, Teleuto stage are produced on the primary host (wheat) and
remaining two stages, (spermogonial and aecial stages) are produced on the secondary host i.e., barberry.
Stages on Wheat Plant:
Uredospore’s or Uredo stage:
 Brown, oval shaped, thick walled marked with thin short spines.
 They borne singly on stalks and germinate in water by germ tubes.
 Upon infection the fungus produced uredosori, which release the uredospores.
 As the disease advance same mycelium in host produces teleutospores either in uredosori or in teleutosori.
Teleutospores or Telial stage:
 Dark, chestnut brown, two celled, thick walled, smooth, rounded or pointed at the apex.
 They germinate by producing a long, four celled promycelium and basidium on which four basidiospores
are produced.
 Germinate by germ tube and infect the alternate host barberry.
 Later on produced pycnia mostly on upper side of leaf surface.
Basidial Stage:
After the resting period, the teleutospores germinate during the early part of spring. They germinate in situ and
either one or both of its cells give rise to a germ tube known as promycelium. The promycelium (epibasidium)
together with the teleutospore cell (hypo-basidium) is called basidium.
Stages on Barberry Plant:
Spermogonial or Pycnidial Stage:
 Flask shaped with narrow opening produce numerous pycniosporophores.
 At the tip of pycniosporophores small thin walled pycniospore (spermatia) is produced.
 Pycniospore push out and mixed with honey like fluid which attract insects and that transfer to receptive
hyphae projecting from pycnia.
 Both fuse leading to fertilization and diplodization called spermatization followed by formation of aecial
primordia on lower leaf surface.
Aecial or Aecidial Stage:
 Cup like aecia arise from diploid aecial primordia.
 Form the base of aecium numerous aeciospores are produced in chain.
 They are capable of infecting host wheat, barley and grasses leading to production of uredosori; the
repeating stage.
 The possibilities of the fungus to survive on self sown wheat, certain grasses growing in cool regions
particularly at altitudes up to 2000 mt. in Himalaya or in Nilgiris Hills.
Symptoms:
 The first symptoms is flecking of leaves, leaf sheath, culms and floral structures.
 These flecks are the uredosori, which soon develop as oblong, reddish-brown pustules, frequently merging
into one another, finally bursts to release brown uredospores and covers an entire leaf blade forming brownish
appearance.
 Later in the season, teleutosori are produced, often merging with one another to cause linear patches of
black lesions which account for the name black rust.
 On maturity teleutosori burst open, exposing mass of black spores.
 In severe infection diseased part remain stunted, produce small spikes and shriveled grains or no grain at
all.
Management:
 Adjusting sowing date, to escape the crop from disease.
 Application of balanced fertilizers.
 Spraying of zineb-zinc sulphate combination 4-5 times @ 1 kg/450 lit. of water/acre during crop season
controls the black and brown rust.
 Seed dressing with plantvax protects seedling for about 7 weeks from rust.
 Two sprays of carboxin 1% at later stage of plant growth give good control.
 N.P.700 and N.P. 800 are resistant to all three rusts.
 Lerma Rojo, Safed Lerma and Sonalika are highly resistant varieties to all the three rusts.
 In Gujarat, GW-366, GW-496, HI- 8498, GW-1139, GW-322. For late sowing grow GW-173.
 Spraying of Zineb or Mancozeb (0.2%) 25-30 gram in 10 liter water or Hexaconazole 10 ml in 10 liter
water.
(II) Leaf, Brown or Orange rust
Causal Organism:
Puccinia recondita .f. sp. tritici Rob.ex. Desm
 It is also heterocious rust.
 The uredial and telial stages appearing on wheat and some other grasses and the aecial and pycnidial
stages on species of Thalictrum sp.
Symptoms:
 The first symptom of the disease is the appearance of minute, round, orange sori produced irregularly on
leaves.
 The sori turn brown with maturity.
 Telial stage may form in the same pustule.
Management:
 Same as stem rust.
(III) Yellow or stripe rust
Causal Organism:
Puccinia striiformis West.
 It is heterocious rust, with uredial and telial stages occurring on wheat and a few related hosts such as
Agropyron semicostatum, Bromus catharticus, Hordeum murinum. No alternate host for the fungus is known.
Symptoms:
 Uredosori appears as bright yellow pustules on leaves.
 Elongated sori arranged in linear rows hence named as stripe rust.
Management:
Same as stem rust.
2. Loose Smut
Loose smut disease often causes severe damage, destroying up to 40% in a certain locality but overall loss is
around 2-3 per cent.
Local Name: Anavarut Angariyo
Causal Organism:
Ustilago nuda var. tritici Schaf.
 It is internally and externally seed borne and is systemic.
 The fungus is carried over in the seed as dormant mycelium. When the infected seed planted, seed
germinates the mycelium becomes active grow intercellularly in seedlings till it reaches to earhead formation.
 It grows along with the plant and when the panicle is produced the mycelium reaches the ovaries and
transforms the ovaries into a mass of black smut spores.
 Secondary spread occurs through wind borne smut spores (Teliospore). Teliospore liberates in air and land
on flowers, germinates through stigma and through ovary wall establish in seed embryo and remain dormant.
 The sporidia infect the healthy flowers.
Symptoms:
 It appears at the time of ear head formation. Until it is difficult to differentiate between healthy and
diseased.
 The symptoms are evident only at the time of emergence of the panicle from boot leaf.
 All the spikelets in a panicle transform into a mass of black powdery spores.
 The infected panicle emerges two days earlier than healthy and the spores are covered with the silvery
membrane.
 This thin membrane gets ruptured exposing the mass of black spores. The spores are easily blown by wind
leaving the bare rachis.
Management:
 Use disease free seed for sowing.
 Hot water treatment at 200 C for 5 hrs. then transferred into 490 C for about 1 min. and again 520 C for 11
min. (200 C for 5 hrs. → 490 C for 1 min. → 520 C 11 min.) and immediately place in cold water.
 Seed treatment with vitavax or benlate @ 2.5 g/kg seeds or carboxin or carbendazim @ 2 g/kg of seeds.
 Solar treatment (Luthra and Sattar, 1934): Soak the seeds in cool water for 4 hrs. followed by spreading
and drying of seeds in bright sun (440 C) for 4 hrs. in the afternoon. This can be practiced in the areas where
the summer temperatures are high (42-440 C).
 Use resistant varieties: Kalyansona, WG-307, C-302, PV-18.
3. Karnal Bunt
The disease was first reported in India from Karnal (Haryana) by Mitra in 1931.
Causal Organism:
There are three bunts.
1. Stinking bunt : Tilletia caries
2. Dwarf / Hill bunt : Tilletia foetida
3. Karnal bunt : Neovossia indica (Formerly: Tilletia indica)
 Primary source: Smut spore (teliospore) germinate in the soil producing a large number of needle shaped
primary sporidia (primordia) and sickle shape secondary sporidia.
 Secondary spread: Air borne secondary sporidia infect ovary.
Symptoms:
 No symptoms are seen until the earhead emerges.
 The infection is usually confined to a few grains in the spike with irregular arrangement.
 In some cases the infection may spread to only a part of the grains. In severe cases, the grain is reduced to
black shiny sac of teliospores.
 As the grains mature the outer glumes spread and the inner glumes expand, exposing the bunted grains.
 The bunt balls are first enclosed by the pericarp but when it bursts the masses of bunt spores are exposed.
 The bunt affected plants emits a foul smell which is mainly due to the presence of Trimethylamine.
Management:
 Seed treatment with carboxin, thiophanate methyl, triadimephon @ 2 g/kg of seeds.
 Follow strict quarantine measures.
 Use disease free seed for sowing.
 Judicious application of nitrogenous fertilizers.
 Adjust date of sowing.
 Intercropping with Gram or Lentil.
 Spray with carbendazim @ 0.1% or carboxin @ 0.2% or Mancozeb @ 0.25%.
 Practical 2: Diseases of Sugarcane
1. Red rot
In India first reported by Butler (1906) while in Gujarat it was first reported from South Gujarat
during 1993. The losses may range from 25-80% and sugar recovery may also reduce.
Causal Organism:
Colletotrichum falcatum Per. Stage (Teleomoph) : Glomerella tucumanensis
Symptoms:
 The first symptoms of red rot in the field are discoloration of the young leaves with reddening of
midrib.
 The margins and tips of the leaves wither and the leaves droop.
 The discoloration and withering continues from tip to the leaf base until the whole crown withers
and the plant dies, within 4 to 8 days.
 In the infected plants the leaves may show symptoms in the form of dark red lesions in the
mid- rib, which may elongate, turning blood-red with dark margins and later on with straw-
coloured centers.
 In the older lesions minute black dots, representing the acervuli, can be seen. often the
infected leaves may break at the lesions and hand down .
 In some cases, black, minute, velvety bodies, representing the acervuli of the fungus, may
also be seen on mostly dry cane.
 In a single stool, most of the stalks may wither almost
simultaneously. When a diseased plant is open, it emits
a characteristic sour odor.

Management:
• Deep ploughing during summer.
• Follow crop rotation: - crop rotation with paddy in south Gujarat.
• Avoid water logging conditions.
• Judicious use of irrigation and fertilizers. More N2 fertilizers especially urea (more than 250 kg) and
flood irrigation leads to more incidence.
• Inter crop with coriander, soybean, and mustard found effective
• Avoid ratooning.
• Green manuring with dhaincha.
• Do not select the seed from ratoon crop.
• Do not allow water form infected field to the healthy.
• Apply organic manures: castor cake, neem cake, poultry manures etc.
• Trichoderma viride or Gliocladium virens multiplied in press mud applied at time of
planting @ 8 T/ha.
• Resistant varieties Co-6806, Co-87263, CON 1132, CO LK 8001, Co -8338, CoN -85134.
• Selection of healthy setts-preferably from ten months old crops havingno disease symptoms.
• Thermotherapy: - Aerated Steam Treatment (AST) at 500C for 2 hrs. and then sett steeping
in MEMC 0.2% or carbendazim 0.2% solution for 10 minutes.
 • OR Moist Hot Air Treatment (MHAT) at 54°C for 4 hrs. and above chemical steeping. Chemotherapy:-
when there is no facility of thermotherapy plant, then setts can directly treated with the above chemical
solution.
2. Whip Smut:
Causal Organism:
Ustilago scitaminea
Symptoms:
 The affected plants are stunted and central shoot is replaced by a long whip like, dusty
black structure, several feet in length.
 Excessive tillering and thin canes.
 In early stages, the structure is covered by a thin silvery white film, which rapture,
 exposing the mass of dense, black dust containing smut spores.
 The whip like structure, representing the central shoot with its various leaves, may be
produced by each one of the shoots arising from the clump.
 Since the plants are greatly stunted and the black whips stand out prominently in the field, it
is easily identified from a distance.

Management:
 Avoid planting infected setts: Selection of healthy seed from healthy field.
 Removal of smutted whips from the infected field. Discourage the practices of rationing.
 Crop rotation with non-host crop.
 Roughing before rupturing of silver membrane of whip and destroying them.
 Avoid planting of susceptible varieties and use resistant varieties CO-6806, Co Lk- 7807, Co
Lk- 8001, Co Lk- 8004 etc.
 Deep ploughing in summer and flooding the field will destroy soil inoculum. Do not take setts
from infected field.
 Chemotherapy: MEMC / agallol / agalol/aretan/emisan 0.2 % or carbendazim 0.1 % solution-dip
setts for 10 min.
 Moist Hot Air Treatment (MHAT) at 540 C / 4 hrs.

3. Wilt:
Causal organism:
Fusarium moniliforme var. subglutinans
Symptoms:
 Typical wilt symptoms appear during the monsoon periods.
 The affected plants, either singly or in small groups displays a conspicuous
stunting and unthrifty appearance.
 The yellowing or withering of crown leaves followed by rapid drying of the cane. The mid
rib of leaves turn yellow while leaf lamina remains green.
 When canes are split open in the early stage of disease development, the tissues particularly
of the lower internode, have a brick red color with individual vascular strands a dark red.
There is no white transverse bands as seen in the red rot disease.
 Luxurious fungal growth at nodal portion in cavity may also produced roots may also get
blackened.
 In wilt, the nodes and buds remain unaffected till the cane dries out, whereas in red rot nodal
rotting is a key feature.
  In wilt the affected canes simply dry out and canes do not break easily where as in red rot
due nodal rotting cane are broken with little pressure.
Management:
 Deep ploughing during summer.
 Selection of healthy setts.
 Seed treatment with MHAT 540 C/4 hrs or AST 500 C/2 hrs. and then steeping in MEMC
0.2% or carbendazim 0.1% solution for 5-10 minutes.
 Roughing -Infected clump should be uprooted, and burnt and drench that portion with
MEMC 0.2% or carbendazim 0.1% solution.
 Avoid ratooning, do not select the setts from ratoon crop. Facilitate the field with proper
drainage.
 Avoid water logging or water stress conditions.
 Judicious use of irrigation and fertilizer.
 Crop rotation-sugarcane-paddy (summer) + paddy (kharif) + Green manuring with
Dhaincha (kharif end) – followed by sugarcane.
 Mulching with sugarcane trash.
 Use organic manure- castor, neem, poultry cakes, FYM or Press mud.
 Don't allow water from infected field to healthy fields.
 Resistant variety-C0-8338, CoN- 91 132, CoLk- 8001. For Gujarat, Gujarat
Sugarcane- 1, Gujarat Sugarcane - 2 and Gujarat Sugarcane - 5.
 Apply Trichoderma viride or T. harzianum multiplied in press mud @ 8 t/h.
 Application of carbofuran 3 G (50 kg/ha) or Thimet (15 kg /ha) first 30 days after
planting, second at the time of earthing up to manage borer/ nematodes.
4. Grassy Shoot :
Causal organism:
Mycoplasma like organism (MLO's)
Symptoms:
 The disease shows different types of symptoms at different stages of plant growth and has
been described as "Bunchy disease" or "leaf tuft".
 Profuse tillering. The most pronounced symptom is the grassy appearance.
 Shoots growing from diseased setts remain dwarf and stunted.
 The leaves are narrow and small, like grass leaves and chlorotic
 The canes are thin with short internodes, giving a bunchy or grassy appearance to the

clump.

 The leaves appear yellow and in some cases may be entirely devoid of any pigment. In
systemically infected canes the disease appearing in May-June.
Management:
 Selection of healthy sets for planting.
 During early stages of the crop, protect the crop by controlling insect vectors- by spraying
systemic insecticide.
 Thermotherapy to setts before planting: - Sett treatment -HWT 500 C/2 hrs. or HAT 540 C/4 hrs.
 Chemotherapy to setts: Tetracycline (250 ppm) applied to seed setts have been found effective to
eliminate the organism.
 Use of the resistant variety.
 Practical 3: Diseases of Sunflower
1. Sclerotinia stem rot
Causal organism:
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

Symptoms:
• The fungus grows from the infected root into the taproot and forms a canker at the stem base.
• The stems develop water-soaked spots which later may be covered with a cottony
white growth.
• As the disease progresses, affected portions of the stem develop a bleached appearance and
eventually the tissues shred.
• Girdling of the stem results in premature ripening and in lodging ofplants.
• Hard black bodies, the sclerotia, are formed inside the stem and occasionally on the
stem surface.
Management:

• Crop rotation with non host crop

• Do not plant highly susceptible crops more than once in four years, including dry
edible beans, mustard and canola.
• Use at least a five year rotation for severely infested fields.
Control broad-leaved weeds.
• Plant thoroughly cleaned seed .
• Application of Trichoderma viride @2.5 kg/ha with 250kg FYM at time ofsowing.
• Benomyl0.05% or and Thiophanate-Methyl 0.07% can provide good control of Sclerotinia if
applied correctly and properly
 Practical 4: Diseases of Mustard
1. White rust :
Causal organism:

Albugo candida

Symptoms:
 Both local and systemic infection is observed.

 In case of local infection isolated white/ creamy yellow raised pustules appear on
under surface of leaves which later coalesce to form patches.
 Systemic infection causes hypertrophy and hyperplasia resulting in malformation and
distortion of floral parts.
 Entire inflorescence is replaced by swollen sterile structure(Stag head).
 Maximum damage occurs when systemic infection of the stem is noticed.

Management:

 Seed dressing with Metalaxyl (Apron 35SD)@6g/kg seed followed by a single spray with
Metalaxyl (Ridomyl MZ)@0.2%. Or chlorothalonil 0.20%
 Grow resistant varieties like RC 781, PYSR 8 and PR 10 (or)tolerant varieties like Kranthi and
Krishna.
 Crop rotation with non-cruciferous crops should be followed

2. Powdery Mildew :

Causal organism:

Erysiphe crucifearum

Symptoms:
 Appear in the form of dirty-white, circular, floury patches on both sides of leaves and
pods.
 Leaves surface covered with powdery growth of fungus resulting in drying.
 Affected plant produce small and shriveled seeds.
 White patches usually consist of mycelial and conidial stage of fungus.

Management:

 Sowing of the crop should be done in second week of October. Spray

Karathane @ 0.07 %
 Spray Wettable Sulphur 80 % (20 g/10 liter water), Sulfex or Thiovet @ 0.3%or Spray 300
mesh Sulphur @ 20 to 25 kg/ha.
 Practical 5: Diseases of Gram
1. Wilt :
Causal organism:

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceri

Symptoms:

Disease can affect crop at any stage of crop growth.

In seedling stage- infected seedling collapse on ground.
In grownup plants, leaves turn yellow to light brown colour and drop off prematurely.
On collar region, necrosis and discoloration can be seen.
If plant is uprooted, the infected lateral roots shows blackish discoloration and they
become weak.
 Transverse section of stem of roots reveals the presence of masses of fungal hyphae.
 The vascular bundle becomes blackened and discolored.
Management:

 Use diasease free healthy seeds.

 Treat the seeds with carbendazim @ 3 g /kg seed.
 Add more organic matter to siol for enhancing antagonistic micro-organism i.e.
Trichoderma, Pseudomonas, Bacillus spp.etc.
 Follow crop rotation for 6 years.
 Deep ploughing in summer.
 Green manuring in kharif.
 Seed treatment with bio-agent like Trichoderma spp. @ 4-6 g /kg seed.

2. Root Rot
Causal organism:

Macrophomina phaseolina

Symptoms:

 The disease appears from flowering to podding stage as scattered dried plants.
 The leaves and stem are become straw colored.
 Affected plants wither and spread across the entire field.
 The roots of infected plants become brittle and dry.
 Affected plants are usually straw coloured, in some cases the lower leaves and stems
show a brown colour.
 Drooping of top most petioles and leaflets is observed.
 The lower portion of the tap root usually remains in the soil when the plant is
uprooted.
  The tap root is black, rotten and devoid of most of the lateral and fine roots.
 The dead root is quite brittle and shows shredding of the bark.
 Dark minute sclerotial bodies can be seen on the exposed roots or inside the base of
the stem.
 When the dry stem of the collar region is split vertically, mycelium or minute
sclerotia can be seen in the pith.

Management:

 Deep ploughing in summer

 Grow cultivars resistant to dry root rot.
 Drought should be avoided.
 Sowing should always be done on the recommended time.
 Germinating and young seedlings should be saved from high temperatures.
 Seed treatment: Tebuconozole, Carboxin+Thiram, Captan, Thiram or cabendazim @
2g. per kg of seeds.
 Seed treatment with T. viride @4g/kg or P. fluorescens @ 10g/ kg of seed or
Carbendazim or Thiram 2g/kg of seed.
 Spot drenching with Carbendazim 1g/lit or P. fluorescens / T.
viride 2.5 kg/ha with 50 kg FYM.
3. Ascochyta Blight
Causal organism:

Ascochyta rabie (Pass.) Labr

Symptoms:

 Plants are more vulnerable for infection at flowering and podding stage.
 Water soaked lesions on leaves. The spots are roundish with brown margin with
yellowish grey center.
 Similar spots appear on stem and pod. Stem girdles causing plant to wilt.
 Several spots on leaves, pods and stem may coalesce to blight the plant.
 In the center of spot numerous minute black pycnidia arranged in concentric rings
observe on stem and pod. Symptoms appear in a sporadic form.
Management:

 Hot water seed treatment to remove seed borne inoculum at 50o C for 5 minutes.
 Seed treatment with captan @ 2-3 gm/kg of seed.
 Spraying of carbendazim @ 0.05 %.
 Grow resistant/tolerant varieties like Gaurav, C 235, G 543, GG 588, GG 688, BG
261 and GNJ 214.
 Remove and destroy the infected plant debris in the field.
 Follow crop rotation with cereals.
 Deep sowing of seeds, i.e., 15cm or deeper.
  Intercropping with wheat, barley and mustard.
Practical 6: Diseases of Lentil
1. Wilt :
Causal organism:
Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lentis

Symptoms
 Disease appears in patches at seedling and adult stages. Seedling wilt is shown
by sudden drooping, followed by drying of leaves and the whole seedling.
 Symptoms are seen from flowering to pod filling stages. Stunting of the plant,
wilting of top leaves, yellowing of foliage and death of the plant are the
obvious symptoms on the infected plants.
 A slight reduction of lateral root growth is seen in a healthy root system.

Management:
 Use bf resistant.ciiltivars, Resistant or moderately resiStant lentil cultivars (OPL
58, 'DPL 61 and DPL 62) significantly reducedwilt incidence and increase grain
yield.
 Use of clean disease free seed and seed treatment with benomyl or carbendazim
@3 gm/kg seed.
 Crop rotation with non host ceop for three to five years.
 Biobntrol 'agent 'Bacillus suthilis, or Trichoderma viride @10gm/kg seed
treatment and soil appliczation @2.5kg/ha with 250kg FYM.
2. Rust :
Causal organism:
Uromyces viciae-fabae

Symptoms:
 Rust starts with the formation of yellowish-white pycnidia and aecial cups on leaflets and
on pods, singly or in small groups in a circular form.
 Later, brown uredial pustules, oval to circular and up to 1 mm in diameter; develop on
either surface of leaflets, branches stems and pods.
 They may coalesce to form larger pustules. The telia, which are formed late in the season,
are dark brown to black, elongated and present mainly on branches and stems. In severe
infections, the affected plant dries without forming any seeds in pods or with small
shrivelled seeds.
 The plant has a dark brown to blackish appearance, visible in affected patches of the
paddock or in the whole paddock if totally infected.

Management:
 Cultural control methods currently recommended for control of U. viciae-fabae include:
control of volunteer plants over summer. Destruction of old lentil stubbles.
 The use of host plant resistance is the best means of rust control.
 Seed treated with Agrosan (phenylmercury acetate) @3gm/kg seed to control seed-borne
inoculums.Two Spraying of bayleton (triadimefon) 0.05% or mancozeb 0.20% at 10 days
interval.
 Practical 7: Diseases of Pea

1. Powdery Mildew:
Causal organism:

Erysiphe pisi (syn. E. polygoni ), Erysiphe trifolii

Symptoms:
 Leaves turn light grayish, and powdery on the upper surface of lowest and oldest leaves.
 Pods are often malformed, small, poorly filled and fall off before they mature. Pod and &
stems may turn purplish color.
 Small black specks, which are fruiting bodies of the fungus, develop in older
lesions.Infected plants are covered with a white powdery film, and severely infected
foliage is blue-white in colour, and the tissue below these infected areas may turn purple.
 All aerial parts of the plant may become infected resulting in withering of the whole plant.
 Severe pod infection can cause a grey-brown discolouration of the seeds. These seeds have
an objectionable flavour that lowers the quality of the grain. Seed from infected pods can
be discoloured and less palatable, which reduces its market value.

Management:
 Growing a resistant variety is the most effective means of
controlling powdery mildew.
 The use of disease-free seed and give seed treatment with thiram @3gm/kg
seed.
 Spraying of wt. sulphurat 0.20% or Hexaconazole 0.005% effective control
powdery mildew.
2. Downy Mildew:
Causal organism:
Peronospora pisi
Symptoms:
 Yellow to brown scattered patches of discoloured areas appear on the upper surface
of the leaflets and stipules. Simultaneously with this, downy growth in patches of
variable size are visible on the under surface corresponding with the lesions of the
upper surface.
 The downy coating is whitish when young, but the colour gradually turns greyish-
violet with age.
 When young,the blotches on the pods are pale-green, more or less elliptical to
irregular, but gradually the blotches turn dark to bright-brown, mottled with light-
green islands. Blotch followed by the green island effect is a typical symptom of the
disease.
Management-

 The destruction of previous year’s plant debris and following crop rotation of
two or three years are very effective control measures.
 Use metalaxyl @2gm/kg for seed treatment
 Spraying of mancozeb 0.20% or metalaxyl 0.20% or copper oxychloride 0.20 or
B. M. at 1.0%
  Deep tillage to bury crop and Use tolerant cultivars.

3. Rust:
Causal organism:
Uromyces Fabae

Symptoms:
 The plants dry up quickly and the yield is considerably reduced. The initial symptoms of
the rust infection are flecking of the leaves. These flecks soon develop into reddish
brown pustules, frequently merging into one another, finally bursting to expose a mass
of brown spores.
 Pea rust is characterized by the appearance of two types of symptoms in India. Early
symptoms develop on abaxial side of older leaves and form round to oval aecidia.
Aeciospores released from the aecial cups are deposited as yellow powder.
 Small aecidial pustules are mostly confined to the leaf. In tendril genotypes of pea it can
also be seen on the stipules and tendril also. Uredial pustules developed on both the
surface of leaf but mostly confined to the stem. They appear as powdery light brown
pustules.
 The ruptured epidermis on infected portion of host exposes black to brown powdery
mass. Telial symptoms appear after aecial/uredial infection late in the same season or on
the part of plant leading to senescence.
 Teliospores are formed in the aecial or uredial pustules. Some it is also formed
independently Telia are mostly formed on the stem and tendril.

Management:
 Use resistant varieties for sowing.
 Seed treatment with thiram @3gm/kg seed
 Spraying of mancozeb 0.20% or HExaconazole 0.005% frequently for control of
pea rust
 Practical 8: Diseases of Mango
1. Anthracnose
Causal organism:

Colletotrichum gloeosporioides
Perfect stage (teleomorph): Glomerella cingulata

 This disease is also known as ‘Blossom blight’, ‘leaf spot’, ‘fruit rot’, ‘twig
blight’, ‘wither tip’ and ‘fruit russeting’.
Symptoms
 The disease appears on young leaves, stem, inflorescence and fruits. The disease is
common in field and storage.
 Leaves show oval or irregular, grayish-brown spots which may coalesce to cover
larger area of the leaf. The affected leaf tissues dry and shred. Leaves on infected
petioles droop and fall.
 Infected leaves shows “shot hole” appearance. Young leaves more prone to disease.
 The disease spreads rapidly during rainy season and covers the tender twigs and
floral axis causing them to wither.
 Black necrotic elongated spots on twigs.
 Tip of young branches gets dried from top to down.
 Blossom blight is most destructive phase which affects fruit set and yield.
 Blackish brown specks appear on peduncles and flowers which enlarge and causes
death of flowers.
 On older fruits black spots formed. Spots coalesces and forms irregular big patches.
Fruit pulp beneath the spots become hard followed by cracking and decay at
ripening.
 Pathogen penetrates deep into fruit and cause rotting of fruit.
 On the lesion and dead part of the plant, minute, brown to black pinhead dots
formed which are the acervuli of the fungus.

Management
 Collect disease leaves, twigs and fruits and destroy them.
 Prune infected twigs, branches and burn it.
 Spray Zineb 75 WP @ 0.2% (2.7g/l) or B.M. 1% at flowering and then at 15 days
interval until harvest.
 Spray Carbendazim 50 WP 0.05% (10g/l), Copper oxychoride 50 WP, 0.2% (40g/l),
Mancozeb 75 WP @0.2% (27g/l) at 15 days interval.
 Spraying Copper Oxychloride 50 WP @ 0.2% + Zineb 75 WP @ 0.2% after heavy
shower followed by Carbendazim 50 WP 0.05% at pea stage fruit and the Zineb 75 WP
@0.2% before stone hardening reduces the incidence of disease.
  Proper irrigation and fertilization is required to maintain vigor of plant.
 Before storage fruits treated with hot water 500-550C for 15 min. or deep in
Thiobendazole 1000 ppm (1 g/ l) for 5 min.
 Treating the fruits in ammonia or sulfur dioxide gas also gives protection against the
disease.

2. Malformation
Causal organism:

Fusarium moniliforme var. subglutinans

Symptoms
 There are three types of symptoms namely Bunchy top phase, floral malformation
and vegetative malformation.
A. Bunchy top phase
 Young plants (4-5 months) in nursery found infected.
 On main shoot, formation of small rudimentary leaves in bunches.
 Shoot remains short, stunted, with shortened internodes.
 Plant growth stopped and it gives bunchy top appearance.
B. Vegetative malformation
 There is a proliferation of infected tissue. The axillary buds of dwarf branches are
unusually enlarged.
 Induces excessive vegetative branches with limited growth in young seedlings.
 Seedlings with short internodes and stunted growth.
 Formation of bunches of various size on top of seedlings or branches.
C. Floral malformation
 Reduction in length of primary axis and secondary branches of panicle.
 Flowers transformed into vegetative bud forming rudimentary leaves in clusters.
 Main axis drastically shortened and flowers are transformed into small leaves.
 Malformed panicles give leafy appearance.
 Malformed head dry up in black masses.
 No fruiting or malformed panicle. If formed they are under sized, unripe and
misshaped.
 The inflorescence gets hypertrophied. The percentage of bisexual flowers in
malformed panicles is very low.
 The malformed heads dry up in black masses and persist on the trees for a long time.
Management
 Avoid using scion/stocks from infected plant.
 Use certified saplings for propagation.
 Cut down affected terminals 15-20 cm along with healthy portion & burn it.
 Spray 200 ppm (2 g/ 10 liter water) NAA in first week of October followed by de-
blossoming at bud burst stage.
 De-blossom early flowers.
 Foliar spray with carbendazim 50 WP @ 0.025% and drenching around tree basin.
 Spraying Benomyl 50 WP @ 0.025 % found most effective.

3. Powdery Mildew
Causal organism:

Oidium mangiferae Berth

Symptoms
 Observed during December to March.
 Whitish fungal growth on stalks of panicle, flowers and tender fruits.
 Premature flower and fruit drop.
 Fruit setting is reduced.
 Young leaves/twigs also infected at higher altitudes. Leaves become twisted, curled
and defoliate.
 Shedding of infected leaves.
 Because of poor fruits set and heavy flower and fruits drop, the loss due to the
disease may go as high as 70-80%.

Management
 Two to four dusting with Sulphur powder 300 mesh @ 25 kg/ha at fortnight intervals
at I - Before flower opening & II - During fruit set. (The phytotoxic problem of Sulphur
dust reported during hot weather).
 It can be controlled with two preventive sprays with wettable sulphur 0.3% once before
the flowers open and 2nd after the fruit set.
 Spray wettable Sulphur 75% WP @ 0.2 %, Dinocap 48 EC @ 0.05 to 0.09 %,
(karthane) or Benomyl 50 WP @ 0.025 %.
 Spraying with Carbendazim 50 WP @ 0.05 % or Tridemorph 80 EC @ 0.04 % at
fortnightly intervals
 Resistant variety- Neelam, Totapuri, Zardalu, Janardan Pasand, Banglora.

4. Die-back
Causal organism:

Botryodiplodia theobromae (Lasidiplodia theobromae- Revised name)

Symptoms
 The disease is characterized by drying back of twigs from tip downwards particularly
in the older trees followed by drying of leaves which gives an appearance of fire scorch.
Barks are discolored and darkened.
 The upper leaves lose their healthy green colour and gradually turn brown with upward
rolling of leaf margins.
 In advance stage, such leaves shrivel, fall off, leaving the shriveled twigs.
 Cracks appear on branches with exude gum.
 In fruits, the pericarp darkens near the base of the pedicel and the whole fruit
completely become black within 2-3 days. The disease is most conspicuous during
October November.
Management
 Scion wood selected for propagation should be free from infection
 Every care should be taken to prevent introduction of disease in newly
planted orchards.
 Any infected portion should immediately be pruned, followed by spraying/
pasting of copper oxychloride or Carbendazim 50 % WP at the cut ends.
 Pruning should be done in such a way that the twigs are removed 2-3 inches
below the affected portion.
 Practical 9: Diseases of Citrus

1. Canker
Causal organism:

Xanthomonas campestris pv. citri. (Hasse) Dye

New Name: Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri
Symptoms:
1. Seedlings stage:
 In nursery badly cankered leaves shed prematurely.
 Cankerous spots often girdle the stem to cause partial or complete death of plant.
2. On Trees:
(I) On leaves :-
 Disease appears on leaves, twigs, thorns, old branches and fruits.
 On leaves – small, watery, translucent spots of yellow color with raised surfaces.
 Spots appear on either side of leaf but more on lower surface.
 Matured spots becomes rough, hard and corky and turn black
(II) On twigs and branches:
 Similar spots appear on twigs & branches.
 The infected twigs/branches start showing dieback of shoots.
(III) On Fruits:
 On fruits also cankerous spots are formed.
 Spots spread all over the fruit surface forming an irregular scurfy mass.
 Gumming is sometimes associated with spots on fruits.
 Juice content is much reduced. Market value reduced.
 Affected plants are stunted & fruit yield and quality are reduced considerably.
Management:

 Prune out and burn all canker infected twigs before monsoon.
 Periodical spraying of bactericides along with an insecticide.
 Use canker tolerant varieties like “Tenali selection” and “Balaji”.
 Select seedlings free from canker for planting in main field.
 Spray Streptocycline (1g) + Copper oxy chloride (30g) in 10 liters of water at
fortnightly intervals for effective management of canker in citrus nurseries.
 Three sprayings of Streptocycline (1g) + Copper oxy chloride (30g) in 10 litres of water
at an interval of 20 days during rainy season is effective for leaf canker.
 Prune affected plant parts before onset of monsoon & spray 1 % B.M. at periodic
 intervals.
 Maintain plant vigor by applying irrigation & fertilizers.
 For controlling leaf miners spray monocrotophos 36 EC@ 0.05 %.
 Scrap the infected bark from the branch and paste with Bordeaux Paste.
 Spray neem cake suspension (1 kg / 120 lit water) 10 to 20 times during the year.

2. Gummosis or Foot Rot

Causal organism:
Phytophthora citrophthora
 Six species of Phytophthora associated with gummosis disease.
 Phytophthora nicotianae var. parasitica,
 P. palmivora, P. citrophthora,
 P. hibernalis
 P. syringae,
 P. cactorum
Symptoms
 Disease starts as water soaked large patches on the basal portions of the stem near
the ground level.
 First symptoms are dark staining of bark which progresses into the wood.
 Bark in such parts dries, shrinks and cracks and shreds in lengthwise vertical strips.
 Bark at the base is destroyed resulting in girdling and finally death of the tree.
 Later profuse exudation of gum from the bark of the trunk occurs.
 Bark split open and through which a gum like ooze exudates.
 The disease may spread in both directions in the stem
 Infection extends to crown roots.
 Prior to death, the plant usually blossoms heavily and dies before the fruits mature.

Management:

 Scraping off of the infected portion of bark and applying Bordeaux Paste at a height
of 70 cm above the ground level.
 Treating seedling roots with hot water at 350 C for 6-10 min.
 Prevent moist soil and irrigation water coming in contact with the trunk.
 Avoid excessive irrigation.
 Provide adequate drainage facilities in the orchard.
 Smearing cut surface with 25-30% creosote oil followed by painting with coal tar is
effective.
 Soil drenching around base of the trunk with 1% BM control the disease.
 Selection of proper site with adequate drainage and high bunding (30 to 46 cm or
above).
 Provision of an inner ring about 45 cm around the tree trunk to prevent moist soil.
(Double ring method of irrigation).
 Avoid injuries to crown roots or base of stem during cultural operations.
 Use resistant sour orange rootstocks for propagating economic
varieties.
 Soil drenching with 0.2% Metalaxyl and Trichoderma viride commercial formulation
is also effective.
 Practical 10: Diseases of Grape
1. Powdery mildew
Causal organism:

Uncinula necator

 Its anamorph is called Oidium tuckeri

Symptoms:
 The pathogen affects the leaves, stems, flowers and fruits. Small whitish patches
appear on both the surfaces of young leaves,
 These patches enlarges covering whole leaf surface with characteristic whitish
powdery coating
 The infected leaves turn grayish white, become dwarfed, twisted and malformed.
 The infected stem become grey, then turn into dark brown colour.
 If the blossom is affected, a grayish white powdery growth appears on the floral parts
and the flowers may drop. The entire inflorescence may appear discolored and barren.
 The affected berries become malformed with grayish to dark brown patches on the skin.
The skin of affected berries cracks and the pulp is exposed.

Management:
 Overcrowding and dense growth of vines should be avoided by proper pruning.
 Spray Wettable Sulphur 80% WP 0.2% or Dinocap 48 EC 0.07% or Karathane 0.2%
 Dustings of vines with 300 mesh Sulphur (1st when new shoots are 2 weeks old, 2nd
prior to blossoming, 3rd when the fruits are half ripe).
 Sulphur (300 mesh) dusting at berry development stage as a prophylatic treatment (20
– 25 kg/ha) or trizole and strobilurins group fungicides.
 Use resistant variety i.e. Red Sultana, Saint George and No-1613 are highly resistant.
 Clean cultivation of vines or removal and destruction of all diseased parts.
 Strobilurins group fungicides
Azoxystrobin 23% SC , Kresoxim-methyl 44.3 % SC, Picoxystobin 22.52% SC

2. Downy mildew
Causal organism:

Plasmopara viticola

Symptoms
 The pathogen infects all the tender plant parts, showing small light green patches on
upper surface of the new leaves and a whitish downy growth on a corresponding lower
 surface.
 The fungus spread rapidly, with profuse downy growth on lower surface of the leaves
and corresponding greenish patches on upper surface which turn yellow and chlorotic
with age.
 The mildew growth may cover the entire leaf blade, which turns brown and withers.
The infections of shoot cause water shocked lesions on which downy growth of the
fungus appear in course of the next few days.
 The disease may also spread to the floral parts and the fruits.
 The infected flower dies and drops away prematurely.
 The infected fruit become greyish, the skin hardens and shrivels.
 The infected berries and bunches become mummified. The juice quality of fruit is
reduced.
 White growth of fungus on berries which subsequently becomes leathery and shrivels.
Infected berries turn hard, bluish green and then brown.
 Later infection of berries results in soft rot symptoms. Normally, the fully grown or
maturing berries do not contact fresh infection as stomata turn non-functional.
 No cracking of the skin of the berries.

Management
 Remove all disease leaves, shoots, bunches and flowers and destroy them as they
hibernates oospores of pathogen.
 Use recommended spacing for planting vines.
 Vines should be kept high above the ground and free circulation of air should be
provided by proper spacing and pruning.
 Pruning (April- may & September and October) and burning of infected twigs.
 The disease can be effectively managed by giving 3-5 prophylactic sprays with 1%
B.M or Fosetyl -Al (Aliette) 0.2% or Metalaxyl + mancozeb 0.3 to 0.4% or
Azoxystrobin or Dimethomorph.
 Chemical - Five sprays with 1% B.M.
1 – Immediately after pruning of vines
2 - When new flush formed (3-4 weeks after pruning) 3 –
Before buds open
4 - When bunches or berries have formed
5 – During growth of shoots
 Spraying of BM 1% or difolatan 75 wp @ 0.2% or chlorothalonil 75 wp @ 0.2% or
metalaxyl 25 wp @ 0.25% after pruning is also effectively control disease. This may be
repeated at weekly intervals.

3. Anthracnose / Bird’s eye spot / Black Spot

Causal organism:

Gloeosporium ampelophagum Pass.

Perfect stage: Elsinoe ampelina

Symptoms:
 The fungus affects the stem, young shoots, leaves and berries.
 Small circular spots with grayish black centers and yellow margin are produced on
the leaves.
 Later the center of the spot becomes grey, sunken and fall off resulting in a symptom
called ‘shot hole’.
 On the stem and young shoots irregular black spots develop, which later enlarge to form
cankerous growths.
 Cankerous lesions on older shoots. Girdling and death of shoots occur.
 Characteristic round, brownish, sunken spots with ashy grey center and dark margin
resembling bird’s eyes appear on the berries and hence the name bird’s eyes is given.
 The infected berries rots. Infection on the stalk of bunches and berries result in the
shedding of bunches and berries respectively.
 In warm and wet weather pinkish spore mass develop in the center of the spots.
 Mummification and shedding of berries.

Management:
 Diseased leaves and twigs should be pruned and burnt.
 The disease is controlled by spraying three or four times one per cent Bordeaux mixture
at interval of about a month, starting from the time of pruning and ending prior to fruit
maturity.
 Copper oxycholoride 50 wp @ 0.25%, Carbendazim 50 wp @ 0.1%, Mancozeb75 wp @
0.2%, Difolatan 75 wp @ 0.2%, Chlorothalonil 75 wp @ 0.2% and Baycor 25 WP @
0.1% are also found effective.
 Grow resistant varieties i.e. Bangalore blue, Gulabi, Golden queen, Golden Muscat,
Hussaini and Bharat early.
 Avoid selecting grapevine cutting for propagation from anthracnose infected gardens.
 Practical 11: Diseases of Guava
1. Wilt

Causal organism:

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. psidii

Symptoms:
 The affected plants show yellow discolouration with slight leaf curling at the terminal
branches, becoming reddish at the later stage and subsequently premature shedding of
leaves take place.
 Yellowing and browning along with wilting of the leaves at the tips of the twigs,
discoloration of stems and death of branches along one side.
 Discoloration of the stem and death of the branches.
 Sometimes the infection girdles the entire stem and the whole plant may wilt.
 The leaves may fall off and the plant may die within a year or more. When an infected
stem is cut open the tissues extending up to the cambium region display a dark colour.
The fungus may be present in the stem tissues, especially at the basal portions near the
ground level.
 The disease is known to occur more severely in alkaline soils. Bark splitting can be
seen in wilted plants in later stages.
 The disease can be categorized into slow wilt and sudden wilt. In slow wilt, plant takes
several months or even a year, to wilt after the appearance of initial symptoms and in
sudden wilt, infected plant wilts in 15 days to one month.
 Management:
 Disease intensity can be reduced by proper sanitary measures- pruning and uprooting of witted
plants.
 Drenching with Benomyl or carbendazim 50 WP 20 g/ per plant
 Soil solarization before planting are also helpful in reducing the disease in new plantation.
 Use of bio-agents: Trichoderma lignorum, T. harzianum and Streptomyces
spp.
 Wilted plants should be uprooted, burnt and a trench of 1.0-1.5m should be dug around the tree
trunk. Treat the pits with formalin and cover the pit for three days and then transplant the seedlings
after two weeks.
 While transplanting seedlings avoid damage to the roots.
 Maintain proper tree vigor by timely and adequate manuring, inter-culture and irrigation.
Intercropping with turmeric or marigold.
 Resistant variety: Apple guava.
 Psidium cattleianum (P. molle), P. quianense, Chinese guava (P. friedshthalianum) and Phillippine
guava are recommended as resistant root stocks. Application of lime in soil also control disease.
2. Root knot nematode

Causal organism:

Meloidogyne enterolobii

Symptoms:-
(A) Above Ground symptoms:
 Plant shows unthrifty development and stunted growth.
 Stunting, yellowing of the leaves and poor fruiting.
(B) Below Ground symptoms:
 Formation of knot or gall on root.
 The main and lateral root bears spherical to elongated various size of gall. Internodes become
shortened. Decaying of tissue also observed.
 Other soil borne pathogens like Fusarium, Macrophomina may be involved in wilting giving
complex phenomenon

Management:
 Remove weed hosts.
 Add recommended doses of fertilizers.
 Also add carbofuran or phorate @ 20 – 25 kg + 200g neem/ pongamia/ mahua cake per acre.
 Maintain optimum moisture in the beds for proper decomposition of neem/ pongamia/ mahua cake.
 For organic farming, apply two tons of FYM or 500 kg of neem cake or one ton of vermi-compost
enriched with Pseudomonas luorescens + Trichoderma harzianum + Paecilomyces lilacinus during
the land preparation.
3. Anthracnose
Causal organism:

Gloeosporium psidii

Which is now called Colletotrichum psidii Curzi

Symptoms:
 Small, regular to irregular dull violet or black spots found on the leaves.
 Spots surrounded by yellow margins.
 Infected leaves turn yellow and drop off.
 Small irregular lesions produce on the fruit which reduce its market value.
 Diseased portions appear with minute, black dots representing acervuli.
 Pinhead spots are first seen on the unripe fruits which gradually enlarge measuring 5-6 mm in
diameter.
 They are dark brown to black in colour, sunken, circular and have minute, black stromata in the
centre of the lesions which produce creamy spore masses in moist weather.
 Several spots coalesce to form bigger lesions.
 The infected area in the unripe fruits becomes corcky and harder and often develops cracks in case
of severe infection.
Management
 Spray Carbendazim @ 0.1% or Thiophanate-methyl @ 0.1% or Mancozeb @ 0.2% at fortnightly
intervals.
 Copper oxychloride 25 gm/10 lit water also significantly control the disease.
 Practical 12: Diseases of Ber
1. Powdery mildew:
Causal organism:

Oidium erysiphoides f. sp. zizyphi

Symptoms:

 The developing young leaves show a white powdery mass causing them to shrink and defoliate.
 Small, white powdery growth appear on the young fruits which later enlarge and coalesce and final
turn brown to dark brown.
 In severe cases, the whole fruit surface gets covered with the powdery mass.
 Affected young fruits drop off prematurely or become corky, cracked, mis-shapen and
underdeveloped.
 Matured fruits turn rusty. Sometimes the whole crop is rendered unmarketable.

Management:

 Spraying of dinocap 0.05 per cent or wettable sulphur 0.25 per cent should be done during first and
third weeks of November or when the fruit attains pea size.
 Triton-AE or Teepol or Sandovit may be added for adhesion.
 Practical 13: Diseases of Apple

1. Scab:

Causal organism:

Venturia inaequalis

Symptoms

 Symptom appears on leaves and fruits.

 On lower side of the leaf lesion appear as olivaceous spots which turn dark brown to black and
become velvety.
 On young foliage, the spots have a radiating appearance with a feathery edge.
 On older leaves the lesions are more definite in outline.
 The lesion may form a convex surface with corresponding concave area on the opposite side.
 In severe infection leaf blade curved, dwarfed and distorted.
 Fruits show small, rough, black circular lesions.
 The centre of the spots become corky and on mature fruits, yellow halo is seen around the lesions.

Management

 Clean cultivation, collection and destruction of fallen leaves and pruned materials in winter to
prevent the sexual cycle.
 Spray Tridemorph 0.1% before flowering.
 Spray Mancozeb 0.25 % at bearing stage.
 Spray 5 % urea prior to leaf fall in autumn and 2 % before bud break to hasten the decomposition
of leaves.

Sr.No Tree stage Fungicide/100 lit

1 Silver tip to given tip Captafol 200 gm (or) Captan 300 g or Mancozeb 400 g
2 Pink bud or 15 days after 1 st spray Captan 250 g or Mancozeb 300 g
3 Petal fall Carbendazim 50 g
4 10 days later Captan 200 g.or Mancozeb 300g
5 14 days after fruit set Captofol 150 g

 Add stickers – teepol or triton 6 ml/10 lit of spray fluid.

2. Powdery mildew:

Causal organism:

Podosphaera leucotricha

Symptoms:

 Small patches of white powdery growth appear on upper side of leaves.

 In severe case the symptom appear on both the sides.
 Twigs are also infected. Affected leaves fall off in severe infection.
  Fruit buds are also affected and deformed or remain small.

Management

 Spray Dinocap 0.05% or Chinomethionate 0.1%

3. Fire blight:

Causal organism:

Erwinia amylovora

Symptoms:

 The initial symptom usually occurs on leaves, which become water soaked, then shrivel turn
brownish to black in colour and fall or remain hanging in tree.
 The symptom spread to twigs. Terminal twigs wilt from tip to downward and also spread to
branches.
 Fruits becomes water soaked, turns brown, shrivels and finally becomes black.
 Oozing may be seen in the affected area.

Management

 Removal and destruction of affected parts.

 Removal of blighted twigs
 Spray with Streptomycin 500 ppm.
 Practical 14: Diseases of Peach
1. Peach leaf curl
Causal organism:

Taphrina deformans

Symptoms:

 It attacks the leaves, causing curling and blister formation.

 The leaves start turning yellowish or reddish and fall off prematurely.
 The infected portion develops a pink or reddish bronze colour.
 Growth of the tree is affected with a reduction of yield.

Management

 Remove and burning of infected shoots.

 Spray the plants with Bordeaux mixture 1% or 0.1% Carbendazim.
 Spray Mancozeb 0.25 % at 20 days before harvesting.

2. Powdery mildew
Causal organism:

Sphaerotheca pannosa

Symptoms:

 Small superficial white powdery mass on leaves appear.

 All the parts like leaves, twigs and fruits are infected with this fungus.
 Fruits may turn pinkish and finally dark brown in colour.

Management

 The disease can be controlled by spraying with Wettable sulphur 0.3% or Carbendazim 0.1%.
 Practical 15: Diseases of Strawberry

1. Fruit Rot

Causal organism:

Botrytis cinerea

Symptoms:

 The most serious fruit rot found is botrytis (gray mold), caused by the fungus Botrytis cinerea.
 Infection usually begins on berries touching the soil. However, infection may start in that part of a
berry that touches another decayed berry or dead leaf.
 Gray mold often starts on blossoms and green fruit injured by frost. Sometimes the disease affects
flower stalks enough to prevent the development of fruit.

Management:

 The proper spacing of plants and correct timing of fertilizer applications are the most important
preventive measures.
 Disease is more severe when fertilizer is applied in the spring, when the matted row system is used
(e.g. all daughter plants are allowed to take root), or when rows are kept narrow. These cultural
practices result in dense, lush foliage that prevents rapid drying of fruit after rains or irrigating.
 Water on the foliage then results in suitable conditions for development of rot.
 Application of Captan 50 WP or Thiophanate-methyl reduce the disease effectively

 A clean straw mulch aids in producing cleaner berries and reduces fruit rot by keeping berries off
the ground. Remove overripe or infected berries to help reduce this disease problem.

2. Leaf Spot

Causal organism:

Mycosphaerella fragariae

Symptoms:

 Also referred to as Ramularia leaf spot, “rust,” bird’s eye spot, “gray spotness,” and white spot,
this disease organism can be carried into the field on new plants, from nearby fields by birds or
insects, by farm implements, or on hands and clothing of workers.
 The fungus overwinters in purple spots on infected plants.

 These spots on the upper leaf surface produce spores, which start the disease cycle in the spring.
Splashing rain helps scatter spores about the field.
  Centers of spots initially are purple and later become tan or gray, then almost white. Older spots
usually are white with a light purple border. Similar spots may appear on leaf stems, fruit stalks,
runners and caps.

 Occasionally, dark spots surrounded by discolored areas about 1/4 inch in size appear on green
fruit. This phase of the disease is called “black seed.” The loss of foliage due to this pathogen can
stunt the entire plant.

 Severely infected plants may die. Temperature affects symptom expression. Warm, humid weather
results in spots being rusty brown without the reddish purple borders or light colored centers.

Management:

 Mowing the strawberry bed after the plants have finished fruiting will remove old infected leaves
and reduce infectious material.

 Fertilizing after mowing helps stimulate grown making the plants healthier and less susceptible to
many diseases.

 The use of resistant varieties is the most practical and effective means to control leaf spot disease.
Several strains of the fungus are known. Each affects varieties differently.

 Avoid overhead irrigation unless watering between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.

 Application of Captan 50 WP or Thiophanate-methyl reduce the disease effectively

 Practical 16: Diseases of Sapota
1. leaf spot

Causal organism:

Phavophloeospora indica
Symptoms:
 Symptoms appear on leaves as small, pinkish to dark brown scattered circular
spots visible on both surfaces. Later they coalesce and the affected leaves fall
off .
Management :
 Criket Ball, Kirtha barathi and Minusops hexandra susceptible to disease such
should be avoided for new planting.
 Spraying 0.20% mancozeb or Copper oxychloride 0.20% or control the disease.
2. Glomerella Lef spot

Causal organism:
Glomerella cingnlata

Symptoms:
 Symptoms appear as yellow irregular spots on the leaves.
 In severe infection the leaf turns yellow.Diseased portion turn grey to dark olive.
 Large no. of fruiting bodies of the fungus seen as minute black structures on the spots.
Management:
 The disease is controlled by spraying the leaves with carbendazim 0.05% or mancozeb
0.20% at month is interval
3. Sooty mould
Causal organism:

Capnodium ramosum, C. brasiliense

Symptoms:

 This ectoparasitic disease cause considerable damage to the normal development of the
plant.
 In the true sense, the fungus is not pathogenic as it does not enter the host tissues and
absorb nutrients. it associate some scale insects and aphids.
 The honey dew secreted by the insects on the leaves and twigs of the host plants, attacks
the fungus, which multiplies rapidly, spreading on the plant surface.
 Because of the production of masses of balack spores which stick to the leaves surface
due to the sticky horney dew the foliage appear black and ugly and hence name sooty
mould.
 The damge caused by yhe fungus is mainly by way of reduce the effective leaf area for
photosynthesis, thus interfering with the normal growth of the plant.
Management;
 Plants may be sooty mould by spraying with systemic insecticides like diazinon or diamecron
0.03% to kill insect followed by spraying with a starch solution. Which dries up and become off in
flakes, removing the sooty mould growth as it falls away.
 Another spray with insecticides help eradication the insect there by avoiding another attack by the
fungus.
 Practical 17: Diseases of Potato

1. Early blight
Causal organism:
Alternaria solani (Ell. and Martin)

Symptoms
 Disease appears before the initiation of tuberization.
 Irregular brown to dark brown spots with concentric rings on lower most leaves.
 Spots coalesces to form large patches but no white fungal growth observed on
corresponding lower surface of leaves like late blight.

 Entire foliage is blighted. The fungus produces Alternaric acid. May affect tubers
near soil surface causing brown discoloration and dry rot

 Dark colored sunken lesions on stolen, stem and leaf petiole and defoliation of leaves.
 “bullseye" type lesions found on potato foliage.
 Tuber symptoms of early blight include circular to irregular lesions that are slightly
sunken and often surrounded by a raised purple to dark brown border.

 The underlying tissues are leathery to corky in texture, dry and usually dark brown.
 These lesions reduce the quality and marketability of fresh market tubers.
 Tuber infection in storage through infected tuber can cause considerable damage.
 Number and size of tubers reduces.
Management
 Use disease free certified seed tubers for planting.
 Removal and destruction of infected plant debris.
 Proper fertilization to maintain crop vigor.
 Spray Mancozeb @ 0.2% (27 gram/10 liter water) or captan @ 0.2% or chlorothanonil
75 % WP 0.2 % (27 gram/10 liter water) one week before disease appearance and repeat
at 15-20 days interval.

 Use tolerant variety – Kufri Sindhuri, Kufri Badshah.

2. Late blight
Causal organism:
Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary

Symptoms
 Initially starts from leaf tips or margins and spread inward.
 Small faded green patches on upper surface of leaf which turn into brown spots.
  Water soaked light brown lesions developed on leaf blade.
 Lesions spreads over entire leaflet and petiole.
 Lesion are roundish with concentric marking on the margin of leaf.
 Downy growth of the pathogen on subsequent lower surface.
 Progressive defoliation and collapse of plants under favorable conditions.
 Water soaked stripes on stem which becomes necrotic.
 Purplish brown spots appear on skin of tubers.
 On cutting, the affected tubers show rusty brown necrosis spreading from surface to
the center.

 Decay of plant parts under favorable weather which emits foul smell.
 Severely infected plants wilt within a few days.

Management
 Select healthy potato tubers for planting
 Seed treatment – dipping seed tubers in 1 % B.M for 30 min. before sowing.
 Spraying Mancozeb 75 WP @ 0.25 % or BM 1 %
 Spray Ridomil– MZ 72( Metalaxyl 8% + Mancozeb 64 % wp) @ 8 g / 20 lit.
 Avoid injuries to potato at harvesting time.
 High ridging to about 10-15cm height reduces tuber infection.
 Grow resistant varieties such as Kufri Jyothi, Kufri Badshah, Kufri Jeevan, Kufri
Sherpa, Kufri Naveen, K. Alenkar, K. Khasigaro , K. Moti, K.Kuber and K.Kishan etc.
Resistant sources: Solanum demissum and S. phureja

 Prophylactic measures: Metalaxyl (0.1%) or Mancozeb (0.25%) or chlorothalonil

(0.2%) or BM (1%) can be applied at 7 to 10 days intervals in the hills and 10 to 15
days intervals in plains.
 Dip sprouted tubers in 0.2% Metalaxyl for 30 min
3. Potato scab (common scab)
Causal organism:
Streptomyces scabies

Symptoms
 The disease mainly affects young tubers.
 Small, circular to irregular lesions found on lenticels and periderm.
 Small brownish and slightly raised spots on tubers.
  Spots enlarge, coalesce and become corky.
 Lesions typically possess a raised margin and slightly depressed center.
 Characteristic symptoms have descriptive names:
 Russet scab appears on tubers as superficial tan to brown corky lesions
 Pitted scab is characterized by lesions with depressions beneath the tuber surface.
 Raised scab appears as cushion like warty lesions.

Management
 Deep ploughing in summer followed by green manuring with green gram or sun
hemp in kharif.

 Crop rotation with legume crops.

 Addition of organic matters to enhance activity of Bio-control agent.
 Regular irrigation to maintain the soil moisture.
 Avoid use of acidic fertilizers like CAN (calcium ammonium nitrate)
 Seed Treatment With 3 % boric acid solution 30 min and drying.
 Crop rotation with wheat-oat or potato-onion-maize (4yrs)
 Hold the soil pH at about 5.3 by addition of Sulphur.
4. Potato leaf roll
Causal organism:
Potato Leaf Roll Virus (PLRV)
Symptoms:
 Tips and margin of leaves roll upwards.
 Midrib of leaves become spoon like and later funnel shape.
 Leaf tips become yellowish and later brown.
 The plant becomes stunted and have a stiff upright growth.
 Phloem necrosis of tubers in some varieties.
 Older leaves stiff, dry, become lathery and rolled like paper with pink to brownish
margin. Starch accumulation in affected plant observed.

Management
 As the virus is tuber borne, select healthy tubers for planting.
 Use certified disease free seed tubers.
 Remove infected plants and destroy them.
 Destroy volunteer potato plants.
  Spray 0.05% dimethoate or methyl-o-demeton 0.03% for vector control.
5. Brown rot
Causal organism:

Burkholderia solanacearum Smith.

Symptoms
 Infection takes place at any stage
 Wilting, stunting and yellowing of foliage followed by collapse of entire plant.
 Browning of xylem in vascular bundles.
 Stems, petioles of the lower leaves and roots become brown and on cutting of
infected materials slimy mass of bacteria oozes out.

 Brown ring is formed in the tubers due to discoloration of vascular bundles (ring
disease)

 Formation of pockets or cavities around vascular bundles in the pith and cortex.
 Eye buds are blackened. Bacterial ooze comes out of cut stem and tuber giving foul
odor (unpleasant/ disagreeable smell).

 Badly infected tubers rot in field or even during sorting and grading.
Management
 Follow crop rotation – 3 years rotation with maize, soybean and red top grass or two
years rotation with potato-wheat.
 Obtain seed tubers from disease free area
 Tuber treatment before planting with streptocycline @ 0.02 % for 30 min
 Collect and destroy infected plant debris from field
 Treat the cutting knives with rectified spirit or mercuric chloride 80% (1:500)
 Tuber dipping in B.M 1% (1kg :1kg: 100 lit water) for 30 min.
6. Potato wart disease or Black wart
Causal organism:

Synchytrium endobioticum

Symptoms:
 Appearance of tumors or warts on tubers, stems and stolons of the potato plant.
 As small white granular swellings on the eyes
 Remain minute or may become as large as the tuber
 Soft, pulpy, white to begin & become black later

Management:

 Potato wart is much easier to prevent than it is to control.

  Regulatory action will always be a key component in the first line of defense for
potato wart management
 Wart affected tubers should not be planted.
 Resistant cultivars - Kufri Kanchar, Kufri Sherpa, Kufri Jyoti
 Steam sterilization of soil
 Soil treatment – mercuric chloride and formalin 5%

7. Potato Black scurf

Causal organism:

Rhizoctonia solani

Symptoms:
 Black speck, black speck scab, russet scab on tubers.
 At the time of sprouting dark brown colour appear on the eyes.
 Affected Xylem tissue causes to wilting of plants.
 Infected tuber contains russeting of the skin.
 Hard dry rot with browning on internal tissue.
 Seed tubers are source of spread. Moderately cool, wet weather and temp 23 °C
are the favourable for the development of disease.
Management:

 Disease free seed tubers alone should be planted.

 If there is a slight infection of black scurf that can be controlled by treating
seed tubers with mercuric chloride solution for 1.5 hr with acidulated mercuric
chloride solution for 5 min.
 Treating the soil with pentachloroni trobenzene at the rate of 70 kg/ ha lowers
the incidence of the disease, but it is too expensive and cumbersome.
 Well sporulated tubrs may be planted shallow to control disease.
 The disease severity is reduced in the land is left fallow for 2 years.
 Practical 18: Diseases of Cucurbits
1. Powdery mildew
Causal organism:

Erysiphae cichoracearum DC.

Symptoms:
 Small white or grayish superficial spots on upper surface of leaves.
 Spots enlarge and form large patches. Entire leaves are covered with fungal
growth. Infected leaves dry off and fall down.
 The fruits of affected plants remain small and deformed.
Management :
 Do not use sulphur dust as cucurbits are very sensitive to it.
 Spray wettable sulphur at 0.20%, carbendazim at 0.05% or thiophanate methyl
at0.07%.
 Alternate weed host may be destroyed
 Tridemorph 0.048 % or benomyl at 0.05% or karthane 0.02 %
 Resistant variety: Muskmelon – Res.var- Diguria, Hargola. Cucumber – Burpless 30 and 33,
Burpless Green king, Burpless F1 Tasty Green, Table Green 65, Victory.
2. Downy mildew
Causal organism:

Pseudoperonospora cubensis
Symptoms:
 On upper leaf surface pale green coloured patches observed and exactly
corresponding on lower surface faint purplish fungal growth is observed.
 Occasionally the colour ranges from white to almost black. The entire leaf dries
quickly.
 Usually leaves near the center of plant are affected first. Then the symptoms appear
progressively on younger leaves.
 Infected fruits have poor flavor and they (muskmelon) are covered with a fungal
growth.
Management:
 Seed treatment with apron 35 SD 2g / kg Good drainage system.
 Wider spacing for good sunlight Spraying mancozeb 0.20% or chlorothalonil 0.20%
or Spray ridomil MZ – 72 0.20% at 30 days interval (muskmelon) Seed

3. Mosaic
Causal organism:
Cucumis virus - 1 – Common mosaic
2 – Green mottle mosaic
3 – More dangerous and cause severe mosaic

They can cause infection to bottle gourd, cucumber, bittergourd, watermelon

etc.
Symptoms :
 Soon after emergence, the cotyledons become yellow and seedlings show wilting.
 On young leaves alternate green and yellow patches observed.Spots are of irregular
shape and rapidly enlarge, covering entire leaf.
  Leaf mottling and stunting of plant. Fruits are mottled, tough and deformed.
Management :
 Remove weed hosts
 Spray monocrotophos @ 0.05% or methyl-o-demeton @ 0.03 % at 15 days
interval for vector control.

4. Gummy stem blight

Causal organism:
Didymella bryoniae
Symptoms:
 Infected stems first appear water-soaked and then become dry, coarse and tan.
 Older stem lesions (dead tissue) reveal small black fruiting bodies (pycnidia) within
the affected tissues.
 Large lesions girdle stems and plants wilt in the heat of the day. Stem lesions on
melons exude a gummy, red-brown substance which may be mistaken for a symptom
of Fusarium wilt.
Management
 Use of disease-free seed and transplants is essential to prevent serious crop
losses.
 Periodic applications of fungicide like mancozeb at 0.20% or propiconazole
0.025% or carbendazim 0.05% or Chlorothalonil 0.20% can help secondary
infections, especially on fruits.
 Deep plowing and extended rotations with other crops can significantly
reduce the amount of inoculum in infested fields.
5. Fusarium Wilt
Causal organism:
Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melonis attacks muskmelon and Fusarium oxysporom f. sp.
niveum attacks watermelon.

Symptoms:
 Both fungi contribute to damping-off of seedlings, but most significant losses occur
after young plants are infected in the field.
 Plants infected early in the season often produce no marketable fruits. Plants that
begin to show wilt symptoms at or near maturity produce fewer and lower quality
fruits.
 The first symptoms of Fusarium wilt are wilting and chlorosis (yellowing) of older
leaves. The wilt is most evident during the heat of the day. Plants may appear to
recover by morning, only to wilt again in the afternoon.
 Stem cracks and brown streaks often appear near the crown of the plant and are
associated with a red-brown exudate. Fusarium wilt also causes vascular browning
that is visible in stem cross-sections.

Management :
 Planting resistant cultivars is the only reliable way to keep infested fields in
production.
 Deep plowing, Crop rotation and application of Trichoderma viride
kg/ha with 250kg FYM. Drenching carbendazim 1gm/lit
 Practical 19: Diseases of Onion and Garlic

1. Downey mildew
Causal organism:

Peronospora destructor
Symptoms:
 The disease can rapidly destroy the foliage and thus prevent the formation, ripening
and storage of onion bulbs.
 The symptoms vary with the type of infection.
 In systemic infection, the plants remain stunted, become distorted and become pale
green in colour.
 In humid atmosphere the white to purplish downy growth of the fungus develops
over the entire leaf surface.
 In local infections on the leaf, oval to cylindrical pale colored spots are formed on
the leaves of affected plants.
 The spots may contain alternating green and chlorotic zones.
 Older leaves are affected first and the infection spreads to the sheath and inner
leaves.
Management:
 Bulbs used for propagation should be obtained from healthy fields.
 Field should be well drained.
 Spray Zineb 75 WP or Mancozeb 75 WP @ 0.25% or Metalaxyl MZ 0.2% after 20
days of planting and repeated at 10-12 days interval.

2. Purple Blotch
Causal organism:

Alternaria porri
Symptoms:
 A small water-soaked lesion develops on the leaf or seed stalk and immediately turns
brown.
 Minute whitish dots also developed on the leaves with irregular chlorotic areas on tip
portions.
 Circular to oblong, concentric velvety rings appear in the chlorotic area. Sometimes
yellow halo is seen around lesions. Spots coalesce and leaves die from tip backwards
 The spot enlarges and becomes zonate and more or less purplish in colour. At the
harvest the bulbs of the affected plants may show decay.
 In the moist weather the surface of the spot is covered with the brown or almost black
sporulation of the fungus. Diseased leaves break at point of infection and hang down.
 Infection also seen on outer scales of bulb, seed stalk and neck. Severely infected crop
dries up. Bulbs become dry and papery.
 When seed stalks are affected the seeds do not develop and remain shriveled.
Management:
 Crop rotation with non-host crops.
 Field should be well drained.
 Seed treatment with thiram 2.5 g/kg.Spray Mancozeb 75 WP 0.2 % @ 27 gram/ 10
liter water or zineb 0.2% or chlorothalonil @ 0.2%. Three sprays of Mancozeb 0.2 %
at 7 days interval had minimum disease incidence.
 Keep the crop free from weed.

3. Stemphylium Leaf Blight

Causal organism:
Stemphylium vesicarium

Symptoms:
 Initial infections on the leaves and leaf sheaths are small, light yellow to brown, and
water-soaked. As the lesions expand they coalesce causing extensive blighting of the
leaves. typically, lesions are found in higher numbers on the side of leaves facing the
prevailing wind.
 The centers of lesions turn brown to tan, then dark olive brown and finally black as the
fungus sporulates.
 Sometimes fruiting bodies called perithecia may appear in infected tissue as small, black,
pinhead-like raised bodies.
 Symptoms of stemphylium leaf blight are very similar to those of purple blotch, which
often results in misidentification.
Management:
 Chemical control with fungicides is effective in reducing disease development.
 Long term rotation with unrelated crops may reduce losses.
 Good field drainage and reduced plant density may lessen disease severity.

4. Smudge
Causal organism:
Colletotrichum circinans

Symptoms:

 Smudge is chiefly a disease of scales of the bulb that may appear at any time.
 It may appear at time during the crop growth or in storage and transportation.
 In the seedbeds the fungus may cause damping off if the soil is wet and warm.
 The most common symptoms of the disease is the appearance of subcuticular, dark
green to almost black smudge on the bulb, neck or green leaves.
 Circular lesions with concentric rings of dark stromata and mycelium appear on leaves.
 Small, sunken and yellow lesions on inner scales.
 Pinkish mass of fungal growth on lesions under humid conditions.
 The fungal growth crosses the veins of the scales horizontally and forms a narrow zone
of discoloration around the bulb.
 It occurs on white onion varieties and reduces the market value of the bulbs.
Management:
 Protection of bulbs from rains after harvest is necessary.
 The bulb should be properly dried before storage.
 Dry the bulb before storage by hot air at 370-480C.
 Spray Zineb 75 WP or Mancozeb 75 WP, 0.2% at 7-10 days interval.
 Treat the bulbs before storage with Thiram 75 WP or Captan 75 WP or Difolatan 75
WP @ 0.2% suspension.
 Resistant varieties: Nasik red, Pusa Ratna, Pusa Red.
 Selection of disease free seed or sets for sowing.

5. Neck rot and bulb rot

Causal organism:
Botrytis allii, Fusarium oxysporum

Symptoms:

 The disease usually appears first on necks near the soil line and mostly found upon the
bulbs at the time of harvest.
 Affected scale tissue become soft.
 The infection spread rapidly down the scales.
 The fungus moves rapidly into the succulent garlic bulb's neck region,
producing a water-soaked appearance.
 A gray mold develops on the surface on or between garlic scales, later producing black
sclerotial bodies which also develop around the neck.
 Dark sclerotia appears on the older decayed tissue.
 In case of bulb rot caused by Fusarium failure of germination and drying of leaves
from the tip can be noticed.
 Rotting of bulbs and production of side shoots produces clump of shoots.
Management:
 Selection and collection of seed materials should be from disease free area.
 Bulb treatment with thiram 75 SD or Captan 50 SD or vinclozolin [Dicarboximide
fungicides] @ 4 g/kg or Carbendazim 50 WP 2 g/kg of seed.
 Spray Vinclozolin 0.1% or Carbendazim 50 WP 0.05%.
 Store bulbs at cool temperatures and low humidity with good ventilation.
 Avoid storing damaged bulbs.
 Avoid rotations with Allium spp.
 Practical 20: Diseases of Chilli
1. Die-back/Fruit rot/Anthracnose
Causal organism:
Colletotrichum capsici (Syd. Butler & Bisby.)

Sexual stage : Glomerella cingulata

Symptoms:
Die-back
 Occurs in December - October in transplanted crop.
 Small, circular to irregular, brownish black scattered spots appear on leaves.
 Severely infected leaves defoliate.
 Necrosis of tender twigs from tip to backward.
 Infection starts at flowering stage and pre-mature flower drying.
 Drying spreads to flower stalks, stem, branches and twigs.
 Necrotic tissues appear grayish white with black dot like acervuli in the center.
 Weathering of twigs, stalks, branches and stem. Dead twigs become brownish and
straw colored.
 Partially affected plants bear few fruits which are of low quality
Fruit rot
 Ripe fruits are more liable for attack than the green ones
 Small, circular, yellowish to pinkish sunken spots appear on fruits.
 Spots increase along fruit length attaining elliptical shape.
 Severe infection result in the shriveling and drying of fruits.
 Such fruits become white or greyish in colour and lose their pungency.
 On the surface of the lesions minute black dot like fruiting bodies called ‘acervuli’
develop in concentric rings and fruits appear straw colored.
 The affected fruits may fall off subsequently.
 The seeds produced in severely infected fruits are discoloured and covered with
mycelial mat.
 The fruits with many spots drops prematurely resulting in to heavy losses in yield
 Seeds in infected fruits turn rusty, deformed, white in color and lose pungency and
viability
 Infected area on fruit become depressed and wrinkled. The infected fruits shrivel
and dry up.
 Primary seed borne and the pathogen may perpetuate in infected debris in mycelial
form.
 The pathogen also may survive on dead twigs under dry condition.
 The secondary spread by air borne conidia and also by splashing rain.
 Flies and other insects are also responsible for dissemination of the spores.
 For conidial germination 30º C. Optimum temperature for disease development 28º
C, R.H. more than 95%. When rain occurs after fruits started ripening. Disease
appears in October- December
Management:
 Cut down infected branches /fruits and destroy them.
 Collect seeds only form fruits without infection.
 Removal and destruction of Solanaceous weed hosts.
 Treat the seeds with Thiram 75 SD or Captan 50 SD @ 2 g/kg
 Three sprays of copper-oxychloride 50WP @ 0.25 % or Captan 75 WP@ 0.2%
 Spray Mancozeb 75 % WP 40 gram or Carbendazim 50 % WP 10 gram in 10 liter
water.
 I spray before flowering
 II fruit formation stage
 III fifteen days after II spray.

2. Leaf curl
Causal organism:
Nicotiana virus-10, Tobacco leaf curl virus
Symptoms:
 Young leaves become folded upward showing a boat like structures.
 Leaf curling spreads from the center of the plant to other older leaves
 Reduction in leaf size.
 Internodes become shortened. Plants are stunted and remain unproductive.
 Leaves become pale yellow in color. Thickening and swelling of veins observed.
The infected plant shows bushy and stunting appearance.
 Fruits formed on infected plant are small and deformed.
Management:
 Infected plants should be rouged out and destroyed.
 Spray Methyl-o-demeton 0.025% or Dimethoate 30 EC 10 ml or Acephate 75% WP
15 gram in 10 liter water at 10 days interval.
 Remove the various collateral hosts from nearby vicinity to reduce the source of
inoculum.
 Spraying should be stopped at least 20 days before picking of fruits.

3. Wilt:
Causal organism:
Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. capsici

Symptoms:
 On the young seedlings initially, water soaked areas developed at the collar region
and a brown sunken lesion which soon appeared as girdled resulting in seedling
collapse.
 On adult plant initially, slight drooping of leaves which led to drying of leaves starting
from lower ones extended from root to stem region and plants exhibited wilting
symptom.
Management:
 Use healthy seeds obtained from disease free crop.
 Seed should be treated with Carbendazim 50 WP or Agrosan G.N. or Ceresan @ 2
g/kg.
 Deep ploughing during summer.
 Soil solarization and crop rotation with cereals.
 Use FYM/organic matter to enhance antagonistic activity of microbes.
 Use of bioagents like as fungal bio-agents: Trichoderma viride or Trichoderma
harzianum and bacterial bio-agent Pseudomonas fluorescens as seed dresser and soil
application (5.0 kg/ha).
 Grow resistant variety.
 Removal of infected plant from field.
 Practical 21: Diseases of Ginger and Turmeric
1. Leaf spot /Antracnose
Causasl organism:
Colletotrichum capsici

Symptoms:
 On the leaf surface oblong brown spots with black concentric rings are produced.
These spots are variable in size.
 They are produced both on young and old plants. These oblong spots are with grey
centres with 2 to 3 cm long and 1 cm in width. They are numerous numbers of spots
on a single leaf which enlarge and cover the leaf blade.
 At maturity, the leaves from black dots with fungal ascervuli and concentric rings
are developed on the spots.
 Severely affected leaves show drying and wilting. Black stroma are formed on the
scales of the affectedrhizomes.
Management:
 Select seed material from disease free areas and treat with thiram.
 Excess shade from mixed cropping should be avoided.
 The disease is effectively controlled by spraying 1 percent Bordeaux mixture,
carbendaizm 0.05% or Mancozeb 0.20% at least three times at monthly
interval.
 Varieties like CLL-316 Gorakhpur, CLL-326 Mydukur, PCT-12, PCT-13
Kohinoor, Puram are recommended.
2. Leaf blotch
Causal organism:
Taphrina maculans
Symptoms:
 The spots appear on both surfaces of the leaves. More number of spots appears on
the upper surface of the leaves.
 The infected leaves become yellow in colour. Later on they turn into dirty yellow to
deep reddish brown in colour.
 The size of spots is 1 to 2 mm in diameter and spots coalesce together. The affected
leaves become discolored.
 Due to leaf spot, there is destruction of photosynthesis on the tissues of the leaves
leading to reduction in the yield.
 The larger patches causes drying up of entire leaf lamina. It does not cause any
hypertrophy/ hyperplasia of the affected leaves.
Management:
 The disease is effectively controlled by spraying three to four time at fortnightly
interval with 1 % BM, copper oxychloride @ 3g/lit, Carbendazim 0.05% fungicides
beginning about a month after planting. Spray Bordeuax mixture at 1.0% at 15 days
interval.
 Culitivars like Behendi, Gadhait , Krishna, China, Javelin are also recommended.
 3. Rhizome and Root Rot
Causal organism:

Pythium graminicolum

Symptoms:
 The leaves of affected plants exhibit gradual drying along the margins. This
ultimately results in complete drying of all leaves.
 The basal portion of the shoot appears watery and soft. The root system is
very much reduced and its tissues are also affected.
 In advanced stages the infection spreads to rhizomes, which, as in ginger
decompose and turn into a decaying mass of tissues.
 The development of rhizomes is poor. The disease may appear in isolated
plants or may involve several adjacent clumps resulting in appearance of
diseased patches in field.
Management:

 Use of healthy planting material.

 Water logging in the field must be avoided.
 Dipping seed rhizome in 0.3 % copper oxychloride for 30 min. Drenching of the soil
with BM, 0.1% ridomil MZ 0.20% 04 . copper oxychloride
 Varieties like JTS-303,CLI-370 are recommended.
 Practical 22: Diseases of Fenugreek
1.Powdery mildew:
Causal organism:

Erysiphe polygoni DC
Symptoms:
 The symptoms of the disease appear as white, floury patches on both sides
of the leaves as well as on other green parts of the plant (Plate-1).
 The floury patches consist of the mycelium, conidiophore and conidia of the
fungus.
Management:

 Sow the crop by the end of the October.

 Use resistant variety like Prabha. Lines GC-39UM-32, GC-7, GC-20 and
UM-34 have also been reported as resistant and can be utilized in breeding
programme.
 With the initiation of the disease spray the crop with wettable sulphur (0.2%),
or hexaconazole (0.05%) or dinocap (0.06%) or difenoconazole (0.04%) and
repeat at 10-14 days interval.
 Practical 23: Diseases of Cumin
1. Powdery mildew
Causal organism:

Erysiphe polygoni

Symptoms:
 The infection takes place at any stage of plant growth, but more severe at flowering
stage.
 Small, white or greyish spots appear on lower leaves.
 They gradually enlarge, coalesce and cover the entire surface with whitish mycelial
growth and conidia of the fungus.
 The infection rapidly spreads to stem, flowers and seeds.
 Under warm and moist condition, the spread of the disease is very rapid and entire plant
becomes affected and dries off. In case of severe attack, the leaves/plants show ashy
white appearance.
Management:
 Late sowing should be avoided.
 Spray wettable sulphur 80 WP @ 0.2% (25 g/10 liter water) from the start of the disease.
 Carbendazim 50 % WP 0.05 (10g /10 liter water) Or Hexaconazole 5% EC 0.005 % (10
ml /10 liter) also effectively controls the disease.
 Dusting of sulphur powder (300 mesh) @ 15-20 kg/ha during early morning. (It is not
recommended to spray dust sulphur in high temperature)

2. Alternaria blight
Causal organism:

Alternaria burnsii
Local Name: Kali Charmi
Symptoms:
 The disease is characterized by small, isolated, ash-whitish color necrotic areas on the
aerial parts of the plant, especially on tips of young leaves.
 Necrotic areas gradually enlarge and coalesce to become purple and eventually brown
and finally black
 Under wet condition the infection spread on stem and blossoms.
 Succulent leaves and blossoms are more affected and killed.
 Under severe condition, the whole plant dried up and become black in color as it is
burnt.
 In severe case no seed formation and if seed produced found shriveled dark coloured,
light in weight and non-viable.
 Seed quality and cuminol content reduced drastically.
Management:
 Before sowing the seed, seed treatment should be given with thiram or mancozeb @ 4
g/kg of seed.
 Three sprays of chlorothalonil 75% WP @ 0.2 %.
 When crop become 30-40 days, spray mancozeb 75% WP @ 26 g / 10 liter water and
subsequent sprays at 10 to 12 days interval.
 Use blight tolerant varieties i.e. Gujarat cumin-3 or 4.
 Prophylactic spray of mancozeb may be given if weather conditions are found congenial
for the disease development.
  Timely sowing during first week of November.
 Avoid water logging.
 Optimum use of nitrogenous fertilizers.
 Disease free field should be selected for cumin cultivation.
 Follow crop rotation.
 Select disease free seed for sowing.
 Remove infected plant from field and destroy it.
 Fungus can also survive on weed host, so remove the weed from field.
 Preparation of small bed for light irrigation.

3. Wilt
Causal organism:

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Cumini

Symptoms:
 The plants are attacked at all stages of crop growth, but the disease usually appears in
patches in the field when the crop is about one month old.
 The affected plants turn yellow, wither and show characteristic wilt symptoms and dry
up.
 In the initial stage, top of the branches droop down and gradually infected plant dry-off.
 The roots of diseased plants become dark brown.
 On splitting the roots, vascular bundles appears brown coloured indicating the presence
of fungal mycelium.
 The disease spreads through the affected soil and in severe cases the whole plant wilts
and the stems shrivels.
 The affected seeds may carry the inoculum to the next season.
Management:
 Use healthy seeds obtained from disease free crop.
 Seed should be treated with carbendazim 50 WP or agrosan G.N. or ceresan @ 2 g/kg.
 Deep ploughing during summer.
 Soil solarization
 Crop rotation with cereals.
 Use FYM/organic matter to enhance antagonistic activity of microbes.
 Use of bioagents like as fungal bio-agents: Trichoderma viride or Trichoderma
harzianum and bacterial bio-agent Pseudomonas fluorescens as seed dresser and soil
application (5.0 kg/ha).
 Grow resistant variety like Gujarat Cumin -3, Gujarat Cumin -4.
 Removal of infected plant from field.
 Practical 24: Diseases of Fennel
1. Ramularia Blight
Causal organism:

Ramularia foeniculi

Symptoms:
 Symptoms first appear on the lower and older leaves in the month of January, as a
minute, angular ashy- brown, necrotic spots.
 Later these spots become large and are covered with grayish white erumpent growth.
 At later stage, linear and rectangular spots cover the entire stem, peduncles and fruits. In
case of severe attack whole plant turns to brown colour, resulting in drying up of plant.

Management:
 At the initial stage spray 0.25 % Mancozeb (25 g/ 10 liter water) to control disease.
 Subsequently, 2-3 sprayings should be given at an interval of 10 to 15 days.
 Seed treatment of thiram 3 gram/ kg seed.
 Select healthy seed for sowing.

2. Collar /stem rot

Causal organism:
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum
Symptoms:
 This disease appears in those plots where water stagnation near the collar of plant is more.
Collar portion of the plant start decaying and the plants turn to yellow colour & die later
on.

Management:
 Drench 1% Bordeaux mixture or spray copper oxychloride @ 0.25% or any copper
fungicides to control the disease.
 Avoid water stagnation in the field.

3. Sugary Secretion
Causal organism:
Physiological disorder
Symptoms
 It is a physiological disorder, due to which flowers secrete sugary substance; attracting
saprophytic fungi.
 Quality and production of crop is affected.
 Sugary secretion spreads on flower parts, stem etc.
  The mold and other fungus develop on plants causing black and gummy appearance.
 The sugary secretion, attracts aphids too. Combined effect of above gives poor
appearance of disease.
Management:
 Stop irrigation and manuring.
 Spray Dimethoate, 0.03% solution or Phosphamidone, 0.05 % or any systemic pesticide.
 Practical 25: Diseases of Coriander
1. Powdery mildew
Causal Organism:
Erysiphe polygoni
Symptoms:
 Small white circular patches appear on young part of stems and leaves.
 These increases in size, often coalesce to cover extensive areas of leaf surface.
 Affected leaves are reduced in size and distorted. Premature sterility is also common. In
serve cases, the umbels dry up.
 Powdery mildew infection may also result in the development of discolored blotches
(brown, red or purple) on leaves or stems.
 White powdery growth appears on upper surface leaves and stems.
 A severe attack of powdery mildew may lead to yellowing and premature leaf fall. Seed
formation may not take place in affected plants. When seeds are infected, they become
light in weight and shriveled.
Management:
 Collect infected fallen leaves and destroy them.
 Dusting of 300 mesh sulphur dust @ 25 kg/ha to control this disease as soon as the
symptoms are noticed.
 Spraying of wettable sulphur 80 WP 0.2 % @ 25 gram/ 10 liter water or Hexaconazole
(10 ml/10 liter water) can also be used to control the disease. If required two more sprays
should be given at an interval of 15 days after first spray.

2. Wilt
Causal Organism:
Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. corianderii
Symptoms:
 The disease can be easily recognized in the field by drooping of the terminal portions,
followed by withering and drying up of leaves, eventually resulting in death.
 The fungus affects root system of the plants. Stunting of the plant, severe wilting,
premature defoliation without chlorosis, with dark longitudinal streaks on the stems and
petioles.
 Discoloration of vascular system of the root is observed. Partial wilting is also found. In
partially wilted plants growth is arrested.
 The leaves become pinkish yellow to yellow. Sterility is often noticed in such plants.
Seeds, if formed are immature and light.
 Severe infection in the early stage results in total failure of the crop.
 Internal browning of the vascular tissue starting from the stem base often occurs.
 Disease development is more rapid in young plants, which may die within 4-7 days.
 Occasionally, symptoms of crown and root rot on coriander may also occur.
Management:
 Select healthy seeds for sowing. Seed treatment with hot water at 56-58°C for 20 min.
 Grow disease resistant variety. Deep ploughing should be done during summer.
 Crop rotation may also be followed. Seed treatment with carbendazim @ 1.5 g per kg
seed or thiram 1.5 gm per kg seed.
 Extreme dry climatic conditions should be avoided as it favors the disease.
 The antagonistic fungi Trichderma viride @ 4 g/kg seed treatment is effective.
 Seed treatment with Pseudomonas fluorescens @ 10 g/kg seed + soil application of
neem cake @ 150 kg/ha is effective.
  3. Stem gall
Causal organism:
Protomyces macrospores
Symptoms:
 The chlamydospores germinate in the presence of water by rupturing the outer wall.
 The inner wall is pushed out to form vesicle, which appears in continuation with the
mouth of the crack.
 The protoplasm passes into this vesicle and the nucleus divides several times forming
100 to 200 daughter nuclei.
 The protoplasm also divides by cleavage into several uninucleated masses. This structure
is known as “Synascus”.
 On maturity, these spores separate and collect in the center of the vesicle. The latter
bursts and the spores are set free.
 These spores further multiply by budding in yeast like fashion and cause infection of the
host.
Management:
 Use clean and healthy seeds for sowing. Infected seed having gall should not be used for
sowing.
 Field sanitation
 Soil solarization
 Rotate the crop with non-host crops.
 Removal of infected plants from field.
 Seed treatment with captan 50 SD or thiram 75 SD @ 2g per kg seed before sowing.
 Spray 0.1% solution of carbendazim when the symptoms start appearing and repeat the
spraying at an interval of 20 days.
4. Root Rot
Causal organism :
Macrophomina phaseolina
Symptoms:
 The symptoms of root rot appear at any stage of crop. The primary infection starts as
small brown depressed lesion at collar region which later on become sunken and spread
upward and downward on the stem and plant girdle at this point causing wilt and leaf
drops.
 Pith region shows brown discoloration due to formation of sclerotia. The discoloration
extends to the root system (root rot), the bark shreds and several minutes dots like black
structure (sclerotia) are seen on decayed root system.
 The entire plant dries up and gets easily pulled up, leaving behind roots in soil. Pycnida
are produced on the outer surface of the stem.
 The tip of the terminal buds get discolored, blackish and gradually dries up from tip to
downward.
Management:
 Removal and destruction of infected plants from the field.
 Adjustment in sowing date when soil moisture is at proper level.
 Summer deep ploughing, green manuring.
 In stress condition give light irrigation in short duration to decrease the soil temperature.
 Application of organic manure, neem cake, mustard cake helps in reduction of inoculum.
 Soil application of Trichoderma harzianum with oil cakes (neem, mustard, castor) before
sowing.
 Seed treatment with thiram or captan @ 3 g/kg seeds.
 Antagonistic fungi- Trichoderma spp. @ 2.5 kg / 500 kg of neem cake
 Apply need base irrigation to the crop under stress condition.
 Drenching the plant near soil base with copper oxychloride @ 40 g/10 liter of water to
minimize inoculum.
 Practical 26: Diseases of Cruciferous Vegetables

1. ClubRoot

Causal organism :

Plasmodiophora brassicae
Symptoms:
 On above ground plant parts appear as epinasty on hot sunny days followed by
yellowing of leaves and reduction in the vigour of the plants.
 The underground roots of such plants are hypertrophied forming clubs of different
shape and sizes depending upon the infection site
 Stunting and yellowing of plants
 Leaves become yellowish and wilt on hot days.
 Club like swelling of root and root lets
 Club root is particularly prevalent on soils with a pH below 7, whereas it has been
observed that the disease is often less serious on heavy soils and on soils containing little
organic matter.
Management:
Cultural control :
 Destruction of crop debris and wild hosts.
 Amend the infected soil with lime to increase the soil pH to 7.2
 Use disease free seedlings and soil solarization
 Use resistant cultivars if available.
Chemical control :
 Soil drenching or dipping seedlings in suspension of benomyl (0.05%) or carbendazim
(0.05%) for 15-20 minutes
 Combination of calcium cyanamide with nitrogen and boron completely inhibits
clubbing and root hair invasion by suppressing the resting spore germination.
2. Black Rot
Causal organism :
Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris

Symptoms:

 The infection of the foliage results in yellow ‘V’ shaped spots arising along the margin
which extend in the direction of the midrib.
 These spots are associated with a typical black discoloration of the veins.
 The infection extends through the xylem to the stalk and the vascular bundles turn black.
In severe infection, the whole leaf shows discoloration and eventually falls off.
Management:
 Use of certified disease-free seeds and transplants
 Hot water treatment of non-certified seeds; chemical treatments with sodium hypochlorite,
hydrogen peroxide, and hot cupuric acetate or zinc sulfate may also be used
 Control of insects
 Crop rotation with non-cruciferous plants (3–4 years)
 Removal of crop debris after harvest
 Control of cruciferous weeds that may serve as reservoir for the pathogen
 Sanitation (e.g., clean equipment, avoiding work in wet fields, etc.)
 Seed treatment with Aureomycin 1000ppm for 30 min is effective in killing both the
internally and externally seed-borne pathogen.
 Drenching the nursery soil with formaldehyde 0.5% helps in checking the disease.
 Application of bleaching powder at 10.0 to 12.5 kg/ha controls the disease.

3.Alternaria leaf spot

Causal organism:
Alternaria brassicicola
Symptoms:

 Minute dark brown to black spots, which may enlarge by forming concentric rings. Each spot
is surrounded by a yellow halo of chlorotic tissues.
 Each spot is surrounded by a yellow halo of chlorotic tissues but they tend to remain smaller
and lighter in colour.
 The spots are raised, spherical to elliptical and upto 1 cm in diameter. Black sporulation may
also appear on the lesions. The center soon dries and may drop down.
Management:
 Collect and destroy the infected plant debris.
 Use disease free seed and treat them with captan (0.3%).
 Spray the crop with mancozeb (0.25%) or copper oxychloride (0.3%) and repeat at 10 to 14
days interval.
 Practical 27: Diseases of Marigold
1. Alternaria leaf blight and bud rot
Causal organism:
Alternaria tagetica

Symptoms:
 The infection appears as minute, small, blackish-brown, circular spots
which later enlarge, coalesce to form large irregular spots or blotches,
which are light brown to dark brown in colour.
Management:
 The disease is controlled by spraying mancozeb 0.20% or copper oxychlorider,
0.2%
2. Cercospora leaf spot
Causal organism:
Cercospora tageticola

Symptoms:
 Produce circular, dark brown spots with a grey margin on the leaves
Similar spots are also observed on stem and flowers .
Management:
 Spray chlorothalonil or mancozeb of zineb @ 0.20% at disease initiation
and repeat it if required twice or thrice
3. Powdery mildew

Causal organism:
Leveillula taurica

Symptoms:
 White ,tiny, superficial spots appear on the leaves.Later the fungus covers the
entire aerial parts of the plant with its whitish powdery mycelium, conidia and
conidiophores.
 Powdery growth appears on the petiole, stem and flowers.

Management:

 It is controlled by fortnightly spraying with wettable sulphurat 0.20% or

carbendazim 0.05% or hexaconazole 0.005%
 Practical 28: Diseases of Rose
1. Black spot
Causal organism:
Diplocarpon rosae
Symptoms:
 Typically, a rapidly enlarging purplish or black patch appears on the upper leaf
surface, with diffuse and radiating strands of the fungus sometimes just visible.
 Leaf tissues may turn yellow around the spots and the leaf often drops, even though
other parts are as yet unaffected.
 At other times, the yellow colour does not appear, but infected leaves still drop
Sometimes, the spots remain relatively small and the leaf does not drop. Small,
black, scabby lesions may also appear on young stems. Badly affected plants can
shed almost all their leaves and their vigour is greatly reduced

Management:
 Roses should be planted where the sun can quickly dry the night's dew. Space roses
far enough apart for good air circulation
 Avoid overhead watering and keep foliage as dry as possible.Remove infected
canes and burn diseased leaves.
 Spraying with Mancozeb (or) Chlorothalonil 0.2% (or) Benomyl 0.1% or a copper
Dust.
 Collect and destroy fallen leaves in the autumn, or bury under a layer of mulch.
Prune out all stem lesions in spring before leaves appear.
 These actions will help delay the onset of the disease, but are of limited value
because spores are bound to blow in on wind-blown rain from elsewhere. The
fungicides tebuconazole, 0.025% ortebuconazole with trifloxystrobin0.05% are
labelled for the control of rose black spot.

2. Powdery mildew
Causal organism:
Sphaerotheca pannosa

Symptoms :
 It is most severe in shady areas and during cooler periods.
 The symptom appears as greyish-white powdery growth on the surfaces of young
leaves, shoots and buds.
 Infected leaves may dry up prematurely and drop down.
 Flower buds may fail to open, and may produce poor- quality flowers.
Management :
 Collection and burning of fallen diseased leavesand flower buds.
 Four sprays of wettable sulphur, 0.20% or hexaconazole 0.005% at 10 days
interval with carbendazim, 0.005%
4. Die back

Causal organism:
Di plodia rosarum

Symptoms :
 Older plants and neglected weak bushes are more frequently attacked. Drying of
twigs from tip down wards.
 Blackening of the twigs.
 The disease spreads to root and causes complete killing of the plants.
Management :
 Regular pruning of infected twigs should be done at least 3 to 5 cm below the infected
twigs. After pruining spraying of carbendazim or B. Paste.
 Spray with carbendazim 0.05% or chlorothalonil, 0.20% or mancozeb, 0.2% once in
early September and again in late October is recommended for the control of the
disease.
 Apply recommend dose of fym and fertilizers and regular irrigations.

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