The document summarizes several diseases that affect mulberry plants, including leaf spot caused by Cercospora moricola, powdery mildew caused by Phyllactinia corylea, leaf rust caused by Cerotelium fici, sooty mould caused by various fungi, root rot caused by Rhizoctonia bataticola, bacterial blight caused by Pseudomonas syringae or Xanthomonas campestris, root knot caused by Meloidogyne incognita, and their symptoms, epidemiology, and management strategies. For each disease, the causal organism, symptoms, favorable conditions, and recommended management practices such as pruning, fungicide/pesticide application, and cultural

1. DISEASES OF MULBERRY
RVS AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE
Usilampatti, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India
K. Ramalingam M.Sc., (Agri)
Asst. Professor (Plant Pathology)

2.  Leaf spot : Cercospora moricola
 Powdery mildew : Phyllactinia
corylea
 Leaf Rust: Cerotelium fici
 Sooty mould : group of fungi
 Root rot: Rhizoctonia bataticola (=
Macrophomina phaseolina)
 Bacterial blight : Pseudomonas
syringae pv. mori / Xanthomonas
campestrispv. mori
 Mosaic disease
 Root knot: Meloidogyne incognita

3. Leaf spot : Cercospora
moricola
 circular light brown spots appear on
both sides of the leaves.
 The adjacent spots unite together to
form a larger spot
 The necrotic tissues of such spots
drop out and form the characteristics -
shot holes.
 Highly infected leaves defoliate
prematurely

7. Epidemiology, management
 The disease is air borne spreading by
conidia primarily through rain droplets.
 Conidia are hyaline, tapering at one end
and 70x3 µm in size, 3-7 celled conidia
 Temperature of 24-26 ºC and 70-80 %
relative humidity are most congenial for
the disease development.
 Spray 0.1% Bavistin (carbendazim)
when disease symptom appear 2-3 times
at ten days interval. Safe period: 7 days.

8. Powdery mildew : Phyllactinia
corylea
 White powdery patches on the lower
surface of the leaves.
 The corresponding portions on the
upper surface develop chlorotic
lesions.
 When severe, the white powdery
patches turn to brownish-black; the
leaves become yellow, coarse and
loose their nutritive value.
 air borne conidia.
 24 - 28º C and 75-80 %

17.  Follow wider spacing of plantation (90
cm x 90 cm) or paired row planting
system [(90 +150) × 60 cm]
 Spraying of 0.2 % Karathane (Dinocap
30% EC) / Bavistin on the lower
surface of the leaves. Safe period 5
days.
 Or spray Sulfex (80WP) 0.2%, safe
period 15 days.

18. Leaf Rust: Cerotelium fici
 Several small pin head shaped brown
postules appear on the lower surface
of mature leaves
 Reddish brown spot appear on the
upper surface of the infected leaves.
 Severely infected leaves turn
yellowish and margin of the leaves
become dry.

23.  The disease is air borne dispersing by
uredospores through water droplets
and wind current.
 22-26°C, >70 %
 Follow wider spacing of plantation (90
cm x 90 cm) or paired row planting
system [(90+150) × 60 cm]
 Avoid delayed leaf harvest
 Spraying 0.2% Kavach (Chlorothalonil
75 % WP) on the leaves

24. Sooty mould : group of fungi
 Thick black coating develops on the
upper surface of the leaves.
 The disease occurs due to the
presence of white flies in the mulberry
field.
 The fungi develop on the honey like
substance produced by the whiteflies.
 Temperature of 20-24° C and high
relative humidity above 70 % are
favourable for the disease

30.  Spray 0.2% Indofil-M45 to check
growth of saprophytic fungi
 Foliar spray of 0.02% monocrotophos
on 15th and 30th day after pruning to
control white fly infestation.
 Safe period: 15 days.

31. Root knot:Meloidogyne
incognita
 Severely affected mulberry plants
show stunted growth with low water
moisture in leaves, later yellowing of
leaf margins.
 Formation of knots / galls on roots is
the main indicator of the disease
symptom.
 Galls are spherical and vary in size;
young galls are too small and
yellowish-white in colour, old galls are

46.  primarily through contaminated soil,
farm implements and run-off irrigation.
 27-30 ºC, soil moisture of less than 40
% and pH of 5 to 7
 Apply neem oil cake @ 800 kg/acre/yr
in 4 split doses during intercultural
operation or after pruning the plant or
after leaf harvest by making the
trenches of 10 –15 cm deep near the
root zone of plant and cover with soil
and irrigate.

47. Root rot : Rhizoctonia bataticola
(= Macrophomina phaseolina)
 Fusarium solani/ F. oxysporum/
Botryodiplodia theobromae- associate
pathogens
 above ground symptoms of root rot
(yellowing/withering of leaves)
 Initially the above ground symptom of
the disease appears sudden withering
of plants and leaves fall off from the
bottom of the branches and
progressing upwards.

51.  The below ground symptoms include
decaying of root cortex or skin, turn
black due to fungal spores/ mycelium
below the bark (Fig 13).
 The severely affected plants loose the
hold in the soil and can be easily
uprooted.
 On severity, the entire root system
gets decayed and plants die.
 Affected plants after pruning, either fail
to sprout or plant sprouted bears small
and pale yellow leaves with rough
surface.

55. Above ground
symptoms

56. Below ground symptoms

57. Macrophomina phaseolina

62.  Prune off the dried shoots above 15-30
cm from ground.
 Make shallow ring around stump and
apply the Navinya solution made by
adding 10 g of Navinya in 1 liter of water
(i.e. 1 kg Navinya in 100 liter water;
sufficient for 100 plants @ 1 liter/plant).
 Pour the solution over the pruned stump
to drench completely.
 Cover with soil around the stump to
prevent exposure to sunlight.
 Treat the surrounding mulberry plants
also to prevent spreading of the disease.

63. Bacterial blight : Pseudomonas
syringae pv. mori / Xanthomonas
campestrispv. mori
 It shows numerous blackish brown
irregular water soaked patches on the
leaves resulting in curling and rotting
of leaves.
 Step-up pruning (30 cm above the
ground) during rainy season in high
rainfall areas and
 spraying 0.2% Streptomycin or
Dithane M45 (Mancozeb 75% WP)
with safe period of 2-3 days are
recommended.

64. Thanking you..,