Anthracnose disease of pepper

1. ANTHRACNOSE DISEASE
OF PEPPER
Colletotrichum gloeosporioides

2. DISEASE: FUNGAL POLLU/ANTHRACNOSE
Etiology: colletotrichum gloeosporioides
Fungal pollu, also referred to as "Berry spot" and "Berry split"
is more severe in north Malabar and Idukki.

3. SYMPTOMS
•Chlorotic angular leaf spots surrounded by yellowish halo is
the most common symptom of pollu.In high ranges circular
spots are noticed and occasionally the necrotic portion drops
off leaving holes.
•When conditions are favourable leaf spots may join together
resulting in leaf blight followed by defoliation.
•The fungus causes necrosis on the stalk of the spike
resulting in spike shedding. Infected spikes turn black, shrivel
and shed. The infection starts from the tip of the spike and
gradually progresses upwards.

4. • Berries at the proximal end of the spike
develop to maturity except that they exhibit
minute black spot. Berries close to the
diseased portion are smaller in size. It also
causes a mild crack on some berries and
further development is affected.
• The affected berries dry up gradually and
remain as light berries (fungal pollu).In
severely infected plantations, defoliation, spike
shedding and berry shedding are common.

5. EPIDEMIOLOGY
The infection is noticed during June at the time of spike
emergence. Anthracnose disease is mainly spread by the
rain splash. Maximum damage is noticed during August-
September and the loss ranges from 28-34%.
PROCEDURE FOR OBSERVATION
Observe 20 standards from the plot at random and assess
the % of spikes showing symptoms by selecting 10 spikes
at random from each standard. Workout the average
damage. Less than 2 % mild; 2-4 % moderate and more
than 4 % severe.

6. •Irrigating black pepper vines during summer months has been
found to substantially reduce the disease symptoms.
•Adequate shade regulation is a must for managing this disease.
Remove and destroy all fallen leaves and spikes
•Spray 1 %Bordeaux mixture or 0.2 % copper oxy chloride
(50WP Blitox, Blue copper, Killex copper,etc) or 0.1%
carbendazim 50 % WP (Bavistin, Zoom,JK Stein, Benfil,etc) or
a formulation containing carbendazim + mancozeb
(Carbendazim 12WP+ Mancozeb 63 WP eg Saaf, Companion,
etc)) before emergence of flowers (late June- early July) and
then at berry formation stage (late August).
CONTROL MEASURES

7. Pythium vexans, Fusarium oxysporum,
Rhizoctonia solani
. The causal organisms reported are R. solani and P.
vexans. In some nurseries, seedlings are affected by
root rot alone. In such cases only Fusarium sp. was
found to be pathogenic. Ali and Venugopal (1993)
have reported the association of root knot nematode,
Meloidogyne incognita, along with R. solani and P.
vexans.
CLUMP ROT OR RHIZOME ROT OF
CARDAMOM (Elettaria cardamomum)

8. Disease symptoms
The disease appears as yellowing
of foliage, followed by drooping
of leaves; collar region becomes
brittle which breaks off at slight
disturbance.
Affected tillers can be pulled out with little force
and the discoloration of the basal portion of clump
can be seen.
Early symptoms on leaves appear as pale yellow
colour, ultimately the young leaves die partial of leaf
margins and withering. Rotting or decay starts at the
collar region and it spreads to rhizomes and roots

9.  Older leaves die prematurely and new shoots that arise are
weak, decay and the rhizomes rot at the base of the stem
 In severe cases, the collar region breaks off and the seedling
collapse.
 As the disease advances, rotting starts at collar region and
extends to the rhizomes and roots and the affected tillers
later fall off.

10.  Rhizome rot and shoot lodging are severe
during monsoon season.
 In seedlings the disease is called as damping
off. The seedlings die and collapse in masses.
 In secondary nurseries of 6-18 month old
seedlings, the type of symptoms are similar
to those in mature plants.

11.  Below 24° C for few days are ideal for infection and
development of disease.
Favourable conditions:
 High humidity, high soil moisture, cloudiness and low
temperatures.
Survival and spread:

12.  Destruction of diseased clumps.
 Providing proper drainage
 Changing the nursery site
 Drenching the nursery beds with Copper
oxychloride 0.25% or Bordeaux mixture
0.5%, before 15 days of sowing.
 Soil drenching with B.M 1% (or) PCNB
1.0%(Pentachloronitrobenzene )
Management:

13.  Control of damping off in nursery seedlings
following pre-treatment of nursery beds with
fomaldehyde (0.2%)
 Fungicides such as Mancozeb and Brassicol
(PCNB) were effective for disease control.
 Neem seed extract and garlic extract greatly
reduced disease incidence.

14. CAPSULE ROT/AZHUKAL DISEASE/FRUIT
ROT OF CARDAMOM (Elettaria cardamomum)
Phytophthora parasitica var.
nicotianae/ Phytophthora palmivora

15.  The disease appears during the
rainy season.
 Symptoms can appear on the tender
and matured leaves.
 Large circular, irregular, water
soaked spots with black colour
appear on leaves.
 On the infected leaves, water soaked
lesions appear first followed by
rotting and shredding of leaves
along the veins.
 The exposed portion of the
unopened leaves my rot.
Symptoms:

16.  The infected capsules become dull greenish brown
and decay. This emits a foul smell and subsequently
shed.
 Grey patches of irregular spots with brown margin
are formed at the base of the leaf sheath.

17.  The basal portion rots and the pseudo
stem break away at the collar region.
 The infection spreads to the
underground plants and the rhizomes
become rots.
 Small light brown lesions appear in the
green tender fruits which fall off in 3-6
days leaving the small fruit stalk. The tip
of inflorescence also rot.

18. Survival and spread: The disease
spreads through soil, water and
wind.
Favourable conditions:
Continuous rain fall and high
relative humidity.

19.  Removal and burning of infected plants.
 Avoid moving of rhizomes from
diseased areas to healthy area for
planting
 Provide proper drainage
 Three sprays with Bordeaux mixture 1%
in May, June, July
 Soil drench with Bordeaux mixture 1 %
(or) Copper oxychloride 0.25%
Management:

20.  Trashing and destruction of the infected parts should
be done as a phytosanitary measure prior to the
onset of southwest monsoon (May).
 The dried leaves and leaf sheaths from the basal
region of the plant should be removed to the
maximum extent possible.
 Thick shade may be regulated by gentle lopping of
branches of the shade trees.
 In plantations, wherever water stagnation is a
problem, adequate drainage should be ensured.

21.  Prophylactic sprays with Bordeaux mixture (one per cent)
should be given during May-June and subsequent sprays may
be undertaken during July –August. If the monsoon prolongs, a
third spray may be given during September.
 When the disease makes it appearance Fosetyl-Al (Aliette )
0.2 per cent or potassium phosphonate (Akomin) 0.5 per
cent can be sprayed @ 500-750 ml per plant.
 Drenching of plant basins with 0.2 per cent copper oxychloride
(COC) reduces soil inoculums levels and prevents further
spread of the disease.
 Application of potential antagonistic fungal agents
like Trichoderma viride or T. harzianum mass multiplied on
suitable carrier media to the plant basins @ 1kg during May and
September –October further helps in checking soil borne
diseases. If the soil is drenched with COC or other
fungicides, Trichodermashould be applied only after 15 days.