PESTS AND DISEASES OF JUTE

1. MAJOR PESTS AND DISEASES
OF JUTE AND THEIR MANAGEMENT
Rajib Kumar De
Senior Scientist
Crop Protection Division
Central Research Institute for Jute and Allied Fibres
Barrackpore, Kolkata 700 120 (WB)

2. WHY TO KNOW ABOUT
PLANT DISEASES
 CAUSE HUGE LOSSES - QUANTIY (YIELD)
- QUALITY (GRADE)
 Happy life -------------PLANT DISEASE-------------Hunger / Famine
 INCREASE COST OF CULTIVATION
 RESISTANT VAREITY: LESS PROFITABLE
 SPRAY: CHEMICALS, MACHINES, ETC.
 STORAGE LOSS: REFIGERATION/ TRANSPORTATION
 EARLY SELL: LOW PRICE
 HANDLING: DISEASED SEPARATE FROM HEALTHY
 MAKE SUSCEPTIBLE TO OTHER DISEASES

3. Every year India loses about 18 % of its
agricultural production.
• Losses caused by different harmful agents
Weeds 32 %
Diseases 26 %
Insect pests 20 %
Rodents 8 %
Storage loss 14 %
Total 100
India incurs loss of Rs. 500 crores per annum.

4. Losses caused by different harmful agents
Storage
loss 14%
Rodents
8%
Insect
pests
20%
Diseases
26%
Weeds
32%

5. Loss in fibre crops
(cotton, jute, mesta, sunhemp, ramie, sisal, flax)
Insect pests 12.9 %
Diseases 11.0 %
Weeds 6.9 %
_______________________
Total loss 30.8 %

6. USE OF PESTICIDES
COUNTRY PESTICIDES USED (g/Ha)
Japan 10000
Europe 2000
America 1600
India 400
50 % in cotton, 8 districts, 9 states

7. RESIDUE OF PESTICIDES
• 60 % OF OUR FOOD MATERIAL HAVE BEEN
CONTAMINATED WITH PESTICIDES
• OUT OF THESE, 14 % CONTAINS
PESTICIDES ABOVE WHO APPROVED
LIMITS
• ALMOST ALL FOOD MATERIALS ARE
CONTAMINATED, NAMELY, RICE, WHEAT,
VEGETABLES, TEA, COFFEE, OIL, PULSES,
FISH, EGG, COWS MILK, MOTHERS’ MILK,
ETC.
• DRINKING WATER

11. BAD EFFECTS OF PESTICIDES
• Insects, pathogens, weeds become
tolerant
• Resurgence of pests, diseases, weeds
• Harmful to beneficial organisms, e.g.,
pollinating insects, parasites predators
• Loss of biodiversity esp. vulnerable spp.
• Health hazards: carcinogenic, mutagen,
damage to embryo, ozone layer (10%)

12. Ecofriendly Approaches
• Biological control , e.g., Trichoderma,
Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Beauvaria,
Paciolomyces
• Crop rotation : success in hooghly wilt,
reduced from 42 % to 1 %, Rice – jute –
potato
• Transgenic plants: successful Bt cotton,
still a dream in jute crop, be an optimist

13. BIOCONTROL THROUGH NEEM
Botanical insecticides, e.g.,
neem: from leaf and seed,
avoid, antifedant, moulting
hampered, compatible with
biocides

14. MAJOR
INSECT
PESTS
OF JUTE

15. Jute semilooper
Anomis sabulifera G
The insect appears during the onset of
monsoon.
• Feed voraciously on the top tender leaves of
the plant.
• In case of severe infestation the green pods
and soft stems are also damaged by the
pest.

17. JUTE SEMILOOPER

18. ADULT MOTH OF JUTE SEMILOOPER

19. Indigo caterpillar
Laphygma exigua
* Lepidopteran pest is polyphagous.
* It attacks jute in seedling stage.
* The top leaves are folded together by
the caterpillars and damage the tender
leaves in early stage.
* After thinning of jute seedlings the
severity of attack reduces considerably.

22. MAJOR INSECT PESTS OF JUTE
INDIGO CATERPILLAR

23. Jute Apion: Apion corchori M
• The adult females lay eggs inside the stem
tissues
• They make a hard black tissue circle
which makes knotty fibre or bad quality
fibre.

25. SIDE BRANCHES ARE FORMED DUE TO THE APION ATTACK

26. JUTE APION ATTACKED JUTE PLANT
SIDE BRANCHES ARE FORMED DUE TO THE APION ATTACK

27. Yellow mite
Polyphagotarsonemus latus B
• The young leaves are crumpled and leaf
lamina curl backward along the midrib.
• Leaf lamina become coppery green with
huge population of tiny mites, visible with
magnifying glass.
• Cloudy weather with high humidity and rise
in morning temperature is congenial
atmosphere for mite incidence in the field.
• High rainfall suppresses the mite population.

28. YELLOW MITE INFESTED JUTE PLANT

29. Red mite: Oligonychus coffeae N
• The polyphasous pest is very much
destructive in nature.
• The older leaves of jute are attacked by the
pest.
• The infested leaves turn yellow, become
leathery and finally drop prematurely.
• The warm, humid climate with a span of
drought for few days increases the mite
population the field.

30. RED MITE

31. Jute hairy caterpillar :
Spilosoma obliqua Walk
• The polyphagus caterpillar feeds
voraciously on the leaves, soft stem and
green pods.
• During early stage, they are gregarious on
leaves
• They may be destroyed by mechanical
means simply by picking and dipping in
kerosene oil and water.

33. FIRST INSTAR LARVAE OF
BIHAR HAIRY CATERPILLAR

39. BIHAR HAIRY CATERPILLAR INFESTED JUTE FIELD

40. BIHAR HAIRY CATERPILLAR INFESTED JUTE FIELD

41. Grey-weevil
Myllocerus discolor Bosh
• The attack of grey weevil is restricted
to top tender leaves of olitorius jute.
• Generally 5-6 weeks old plants are
attacked by this pest.

42. JUTE PLANT INFECTED WITH GREY WEEVIL

43. GREY WEEVIL

44. Root knot nematode
Meloidogyne incognita, M. javanica
* Wide range of hosts.
* The galls are white globular swellings in roots
due to penetration of larvae
* Translocation of water and nutrients blocked
* Plants shows yellowing and stunted growth
* Sometimes predispose the plant to root rot and
wilt infection.

45. Root knot nematode (Meloidogyne spp.)
C. capsularis C. olitorius
Extent of damage : 15 – 20 %

47. DISEASES
OF
JUTE

48. DISEASES OF JUTE
Stem rot: Macrophomina phaseolina
Hooghly wilt: Ralstonia solanacearum
(Ps. solanacearum)
Anthracnose: Colletotrichum corchorum
and C. gloeosporioides
Black Band: Botryodiplodia theobromae
Mosaic : Virus
Soft rot: Sclerotium rolfsii
6
M
A
J
O
R

49. STEM ROT
MACROPHOMINA PHASEOLINA
• Most serious disease of jute
• Frequent epiphytotics occurs in almost all
jute growing areas
• It damages both Olitorius and Capsularis
varieties
• Extent of damage depends on rainfall
pattern, soil temperature and soil moisture
• More in acid soil with pH below 5.8 and K
deficiency

50. SYMPTOMS OF STEM ROT
MACROPHOMINA PHASEOLINA
• Damping off: New seedlings rot
above and below soil
• Seedling blight: Cotyledons turn
brown to black and seedlings die
• Stem rot: Dark brown lesion on
stem may extend up to 10 - 15 cm
or higher, extend vertically or
horizontally, plants wilt or break

51. Seedling blight and damping off
symptoms of stem rot

52. Brown spots on leaves as a result of stem rot
during June - July

53. Brown spot on the stem

54. Advanced stage of brown spot on the stem
The rotting of stem may extend up to 10 - 15 cm or higher

55. The length of stem rotting varies
Healthy

56. Drooping of leaves and wilting
as a result of stem rot
Healthy plant

57. STEM ROT OF JUTE
Breaking of stem as a result of stem rot

58. STEM ROT OF JUTE
Leaf blight and stem infection from leaves

59. STEM ROT INFECTED JUTE FIELD
Continuous rain and high RH
and temperature around
34 oC+ are congenial

60. Pathogen on infected seeds

61. Pathogen on infected seeds

62. OTHER SYMPTOMS OF STEM ROT
* Collar rot: Brown discolouration on the
stem at soil level
• Necrotic wounds develop at the ground level
• If plant survives, adventitious roots develop
above infected portion
* Root rot: Plants wilt, defoliate and stand
as naked stem and finally die
• Root are rotten and brown in colour, rootlets
absent
• Stem turns dark brown to black.

63. ANTHRACNOSE
* It came to Dhaka through Infected
seeds from south east Asia during
1930s unknowingly
* Then from Dhaka to other parts of
Bangladesh
* It later entered India through Assam
* Continuous rain and high RH and
temperature around 35 oC+ are
congenial

64. ANTHRACNOSE OF CAPSULARIS JUTE
Colletotrichum corchorum
Symptoms
* Causes considerable damage to fibre yield and quality.
* On seedlings it appears on leaf and stem as
brownish spot and streaks following drying
up of the entire stem.
* On stem irregular spots, may coalesce, cause
deep necrosis, girdle stem and cracks and
expose the fibre.
*These turns to brownish depressed spots.
Depressed spots are seen on pods also.
* Infected seeds are lighter in colour,
shrunken and germination is poor.

65. ANTHRACNOSE OF OLITORIUS JUTE
Colletotrichum gloeosporioides

• Appears at very later stage (Mid July – Sept.).
• Consequently damage is lesser than
capsularis.
• Brown to black sodden spot appear on stem.
• Depth of spot is less.
• Limited to only 1 – 2 cell layer deep below
epidermis.
• The fungus does not touch fibre layer.
• Slows the plant growth and less yield.

66. ANTHRACNOSE OF JUTE

67. ANTHRACNOSE OF JUTE
Deep necrosis showing cracks on
stem and expose the fibre

68. • First observed in 1950s in Tarakeswar of
Hooghly district
• Later in Howrah, Nadia, North 24
Parganas, Burdwan, etc.
• Where jute crop if followed by potato
• Very serious disease of Olitorius jute
during 1970 – 80
• Even up to 40 % plants were infected
Hooghly wilt

69. Hooghly wilt
Ralstonia (Pseudomonas) solanacearum
M. phaseomina and M. incognita facilitate
entry of the bacteria
Symptoms:
 Wilting of leaves starts from the base
upwards
 Affected stems are soft
 Slimy fluid comes out on slight pressing
 Ooze test positive

70. HOOGHLY WILY OF JUTE

71. HOOGHLY WILT OF JUTE

72. Black Band
 Minor disease earlier but gradually fast
spreading
 Now incidence is quiet high
 Affects both species of jute
 Causes serious damage in older crops
from July onwards
 Often no fibre and seed may be obtained

73. Black Band
Botryodiplodia theobromae
Symptoms
 Blackish brown lesion, darker than stem rot
 Spots enlarge and girdle the stem, withering of
apical and side branches
 Plants defoliate, turn brown to black and stand
as dry stick
 Stem breaks at the point of infection and the
plants die
 On rubbing with finger on the spots profuse black
sooty powdery mass of spores adhere to the fingers
which is not found in stem rot
 Crops raised from infected seeds show sedling blight
symptoms

74. Black band of jute

75. Pathogen spores on infected seeds

76. SOFT ROT
Sclerotium rolfsii
 It first grows on fallen leaves of jute
 From there it infects stem base
 Attack begins when the crop is 80 – 90 days
old
High rainfall, low sun shine, high plant
population favours soft rot
Minor disease earlier but gradually fast
spreading

77. SOFT ROT
Sclerotium rolfsii
Symptoms
 Soft, brown wet patch on the stem base
 Skin peels off and exposed fibre layers turns
rusty brown and plants wilt
 White cottony mycellial growth
Brown mustard seed like sclerotia are seen at
the site of infection
It decreases if fallen leaves are destroyed

78. SOFT ROT OF JUTE
White cottony
mycellial growth

79. SOFT ROT OF JUTE

81. MOSAIC : VIRUS
• Gradual mottling of leaves with various
patterns of yellow and green
• Crinkling of lamina
• Stunted growth of plant
• Plant may die
• The geminivirus is graft transmissible and
also carried through seed
• White fly Bemisia sp acts as the vector.

82. Nymph of white fly
Adult of white fly

83. MANAGEMENT OF JUTE MOSAIC : VIRUS
• White fly Bemisia sp acts as the vector
• To check the vector spraying of
–methyl dematon (Metasystox) @ 1.5
ml per litre of water or
–dimethoate (Dimecron) @ 1.0 ml per
litre of water or
–Endosulfan (Thiodan / Hildan) @ 1.5 –
2.0 ml per litre of water
–malathion @ 1.5 – 2.0 ml per litre of
water

84. MINOR DISEASES OF JUTE
Physoderma spot
(Physoderma corchori)
Tip blight
(Curvularia subulata)
Corynespora leaf spot
(Corynespora cassicola)
Powdery mildew (Oidium sp)
Die back (Diplodia corchori)

85. INTEGRATED PEST
MANAGEMENT OF JUTE

86. INTEGRATED PEST
MANAGEMENT
• UNCED (1992) at Rio de Janeiro
identified IPM in agriculture as
one of prime requirements for
promoting sustainable
agriculture and development

87. INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT
• Can provide food security
• Reduce crop loss
• Promote self reliance by farmer
participatory approach
• Contribute poverty alleviation by focusing
on small and marginal farmers
• Protect environment and health by
reducing chemical inputs
• Conserve biodiversity

88. INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT
• According to FAO panel of experts (1968),
• IPM has been defined as “pest management
system that in the context of associated
environment and pest population dynamics of
pest species, it utilizes all suitable techniques
and methods in as compatible manner as
possible and maintains the pest population
below those causing economic injury.”
• It is not a simply juxtaposition or superimposition
of two control techniques but integration of all
management techniques (such as, chemical and
biological controls) with the natural regulating
and limiting elements of the environment.

89. INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT
• IRRI (1985) defined IPM as “a
strategy or plan that utilizes
various tactics or control
measures – cultural, plant
resistance, biological, and
chemical – in a harmonious
way.”

90. • Keep pests numbers below harmful
(ET) level instead of eradication
• Protect and conserve the environment
including biodiversity
• Make plant protection feasible, safe and
economical even for the smaller
farmers
INTEGRATED PEST
MANAGEMENT

91. 3 Es of IPM
• HIGHLY EFFECTIVE
•ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE
•ECOLOGICALLY SOUND

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93. OBJECTIVES OF IDM IN JUTE
• NO TO COMPLETE ELIMINATION OF
PESTS AND PATHOGENS
• TO KEEP THE POPULATION BELOW
ECONOMIC THRESHOLD LEVEL
• SAFE TO ENVIRONMENT

94. CONCEPT OF IDM IN JUTE
• ITS NOT A SINGULAR METHOD
APPROACH
• FROM SOWING TO HARVESTING
JUDICIOUS COMBINATION OF ALL
AVAILABLE MEASURES OF
MANAGEMENT
• COEXISTENCE OF CROP AND PESTS
AND PATHOGENS AT BELOW ETL
• NO CHEMICAL HARMFUL TO
ENVIRONMENT

95. • More efficient and low cost method of
control
• Does not upset the balance of nature
• Delays the development of resistance
• Minimizes the residue hazards of
pesticides
ADVANTAGES OF INTEGRATED
PEST MANAGEMENT

96. TEEHNIQUES OF INTEGRATED
PEST MANAGEMENT
• Good Agricultural Practice (GAP)
• Integrated Crop Management (ICM)
• For sustainable agriculture IPM must be a
component of GAP or ICM.
• It includes profitable management of crop
with respect to environment.
• It is a dynamic system suitated to local
soil, climate and economic conditions.

97. FIVE CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF
PEST POPULATION MANAGEMENT
• Identification of major insect pests according to
their national and international importance.
• Immediate objective is to bring down the pest
attack below economic injury level.
• Application of IPM tactics which will not hamper
the natural way of pest management.
• The effect of pest control measure should be long
lasting effect without any side effect.
• The philosophy is to bring down the pest
population rather than to attempt to eliminate it .

98. Farming system
Cropping system
IPM
IDM
Status of IPM and IDM in agriculture

99. SPREAD OF DISEASE IN JUTE
SOIL SEED AIR BORNE
SPORES

100. STRATEGY IN DISEASE MANAGEMENT OF JUTE
AGRONOMIC MANIPULATION
Crop Rotation, Crop residues,
Spacing, Drainage, Weeding
FUNGICIDE SPRAY
carbendazim, mancozeb
copper oxy chloride
SEED TREATMENT
carbendazim, mancozeb,
Trichoderma
DISEASE
MANAGEMENT
SOIL TREATMENT
Lime, FYM, Sun,

101. IDM STRATEGY IN JUTE
• SELECTION OF LAND: Medium to high
land, sandy loam soil
• ACIDITY OF SOIL: For soil with pH below
5.8 and K deficiency, apply 2 – 4 tonnes /ha
of lime or gypsum one month before
sowing.
• SELECTION OF VARIETY: JRO 524, JRO
66, JRO 8432. Less stem rot on JRO 32 in
Barrackpore, Coochbehar and Katihar than
JRO 524. JRO 524 is less affected in
Singur areas.

102. • SEED: Use preferably certified seed or
pathogen free healthy seed,
• Seed health testing: Seed lot with more than
15 % infection of anthracnose is unfit for
sowing, even after seed treatment.
• Clean cultivation: Destruction of stubbles,
summer ploughing, soil solarization with
ploythene sheet raises inside temp. by 10 oC
and kills pathogens
• Spacing: Row 25 – 30 cm and plant 5 – 6 cm
by thinning
• Drainage: Poorly drained soil attract more
disease
IDM STRATEGY IN JUTE

103. Weeding: Weeds are hosts of pathogens.
Stem rot, soft rot and Hooghly wilt have
wide host range.
Sowing time: Mid March to mid April, but
late sown jute suffers from less stem rot
Fertilizer: Balanced, NPK: (30+15+15):30:30
Organic manure: FYM or compost 7 – 8
tonnes /ha before sowing
Crop rotation: Jute – rice – rice / wheat/
mustard / winter vegetables except solanaceous,
like, potato, brinjal, tomato.
IDM STRATEGY IN JUTE

104. • Killing of pathogens with other living
organism
• Kills by competition, mycoparasitism and
antibiosis (toxin or enzymes)
• PROCESS: Biocontrol agents are isolated
from nature, tested on pathogens in lab,
mass cultured on cheap media, tested
viability and then applied in field.
• Examples in jute: Fungi –Trichoderma
spp., Aspergillus niger,
• PGPR – Promotes plant growth,
suppresses disease, e.g., Fluorescent
Pseudomonas
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL

105. BIOLOGICAL CONTROL

107. DISEASED LARVAE OF BIHAR HAIRY CATERPILLAR

108. PATHOGEN ON INSECT HOST

112. SEED TREATMENT
• Carbendazim (Bavistin 50 WP;
JK Stein 50 WP; Derosal) @ 2.0
g /kg seed
• Mancozeb (Indofil M 45,
Dithane M 45) @ 5.0 g /kg seed
• Trichoderma harzianum, T.
viride @ 10.0 g/kg seed

113. Weed Management
• Weed composition: grassy weed 92 %;
hedges 6 % and rest broad leaved
• May incur loss up to 70 %
• May involve 30 - 35 % of total cost of jute
cultivation

114. Methods of Weed Management
• Pre plant application of trifluraline
(Dinitroanelene) @ 1.0 kg a.i./ha 01day before
sowing may kill all grasses and broad leaved
weeds and save Rs. 4000 – 5000 /ha.
• Post emergence spray of quizalofop ethyl
(Targa super 1.5 – 2.0 ml + Dhanuvit 1.0 ml
per litre water at 21 – 25 DAS may kill all
grasses and broad leaved weeds and save
Rs. 3000 – 4000 /ha.
• Hand weeding: costly, effective, labourious
• Mixed cropping with red amaranth or
summer radish and gives addl yield
• Mulching with paddy straw in between rows

116. INSECTS PEST MANAGENT
WHEN DAMAGE IS MORE THAN 10 %
• Spray Nimerin @ 3 – 4 ml / litre of water
with B. bassiana
In case of high infestation
• Spray endosulfan (Thiodan 35 EC) @ 2 ml
/ litre of water
• Spray chloropyriphos (Dursban) @ 2 ml /
litre of water
• Spray imidachloprid @ 1 ml / 5 litre of
water
• For spraying one acre jute crop 200 litres
of water is required

117. DISEASE MANAGENT IN JUTE
WHEN INCIDENCE IS MORE THAN 2 % Spray
carbendazim (Bavistin 50 WP; JK Stein
50 WP; Derosal) @ 2.0 g / litre of water
mancozeb (Indofil M 45, Dithane M 45)
@ 5.0 g / litre of water
copper oxy chloride (Blitox 50; Blue
copper 50; Fytolan @ 6.0 – 7.0 g / litre
of water
In case of very high incidence spary carbendazim -
copper oxy chloride – carbendazim at 10 days
interval

118. Table. Chemical name of fungicide, trade
products and method of application jute crop
Chemical name of
fungicide
Trade products Effective against
diseases of jute
crop
Method of
application
Dosage
of seed
treatm
ent
Dosage
of spray
Carbendazim
(MBC)
Bavistin 50 WP
JK stein 50 WP
Derosal 50 WP
Stem rot,
Hooghly wilt,
Anthracnose,
Soft rot,
Black band
Seed
treatment
and / or
spray
2.0 g
/ Kg
seed
2.0 g /
litre of
water
Copper
oxychloride
(COC)
Blitox 50 WP
Fytolan 50 WP
Blue Copper 50
WP
Do Spray - 6.0 –
7.0 g
/ litre
of
water
Mancozeb Dithane M 45
Indofil M 45
Do Seed
treatment
and / or
Spray
5.0 g
/ Kg
seed
5.0 g /
litre of
water

119. Few tips
• Keep regular vigil on the crop
• Spray the infected portion only instead of
whole crop, to conserve natural enemies

120. Birds as friends: predators of
Lepidopteran pests
Birds as friends: Good provision for sitting of birds around the fields;
predators of lepidopteran pests, lower the population

121. LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST
Prevention is
always better
than cure.

125. THANK
YOU