Shisham (Dalbergia sissoo) decline is one of the most important diseases of Shisham now a days. There are some causes and drawbacks have been mentioned in the slides.

1. Sheesham Dieback/ Decline
Zohaib ul Hassan
zuhaib1144@gmail.com

2. Sheesham/ Delbergia sissoo
• Common Name(s): Sissoo, Sheesham
• Scientific Name: Dalbergia sissoo
• Distribution: Primarily northern India, Nepal,
and Pakistan, as well as Western Asia; also
grown on plantations
• Tree Size: 35-65 ft (10-20 m) tall, 2-3 ft (.6-1
m) trunk diameter
• Average Dried Weight: 48 lbs/ft3 (770 kg/m3)

3. Importance
• SHISHAM or Dalbergia Sissio is an important
source of fuel and timber wood.
• Plantation of Shisham trees on canal
embankments saves water.
• Reduces erosion,
• Increases soil fertility, protects vegetables
from frost, provides shade to livestock.

4. Origin
• D. Sissoo is considered to be native to TARAT
situated in the subtropical and dry temperate
foothills in Nepal.
• In Pakistan, it is found along the foothills of
the Himalayan mountains.
• The species was introduced into Punjab
(Changa Manga plantations in 1866) to
produce coal for steam engines.

5. • Community forests have been planted in
Khanewal on quite a large area, and similar
plantations exist in Bhagat, Bhakkar and
Mianwali.
• The area under such plantation in Punjab is
154,886 ha, with an average annual
production of 28,000 m3.

6. Objectives of studies
• Rise the importance of sissoo tree, and its
syndrome (Dieback).
• Give the information about its major
pathogens.
• Reccommendations.

7. Diseases of Sheesham
• powdery mildew,
• leaf rust,
• leaf blight,
• collar rot,
• wilt,
• die-back and Ganoderma root rot

8. Sissoo Dieback/ Decline
• It was in 1998 that decline or dieback was
reported as an epidemic in central tract of
Punjab Province.
• The die-back of sissoo (shisham) is a common
occurrence among single tree or compact
plantations growing in waterlogged and
marshy tracts.

9. Symptomology
• Closely connected diseases of sissoo are wilt
and die-back and their distinct symptoms are;
• Initially the top leaves of infected plants turn
light yellow.
• The withering of individual branches from top
to downward takes place.
• Bark at the collar region becomes rotted; turn
brown and often splits, and roots become
dark brown to black.

10. • Bark of trunk splits.
• These can be separated from cambium and
can be peeled off easily.
• There are holes in the bark and galleries in the
cambium with dark brown powder like
material due to insects that may contribute in
the disease spread.

13. Difference between Wilt and Die back
• Wilt:
• The term "wilting" or "withering" is applied to
cases where the whole plant dies suddenly
from infection of fungus in the roots.
• Secondly by their appearance in isolated
plants or patches in the affected areas.
• This disease is identified by usual symptoms of
flagging of leaves, pods and even tender
twigs.

14. • Dieback: The die-back disease has more
specialised symptoms than wilt.
• The symptoms are thinning of leaves and
crown,.
• Drying up of the ends of the branches.
• Table topped conditions and stag-headedness
in extreme cases.

15. • progressive death of twigs, branches, shoots
or roots starting at the tips.
• Staghead is a slow die-back of upper branches
of a tree, and the dead, leafless limbs
superficially resemble a stag's head.

16. Major Pathogens of Sheesham Dieback
• Die-back and staghead are caused by many
fungi and a few bacteria that produce cankers.
• Major Fungal Pathogens:
• Fusarium solani.
• Botryodiplodia theobromae
• Phytophthora cinamomi

17. Major fungal pathogens reported
along canal sides
• Fusarium solani (9.00%) and Ganoderma
lucidum (7.63%).
• Phytophthora cinnamomi (6.23%),
• Fusarium pallidoroseum (5.72%),
• Fusarium oxysporum (4.78),
• Botryodiplodia theobromae (4.77%).

18. Major fungal pathogens reported
along road sides
• Fusarium solani (13.8%),
• Botryodiplodia theobromae (12.04%),
• Fusarium pallidoroseum (13.33%)
• Fusarium oxysporum (7.36%)
• Drechslera spp. (5.57%)
• Alternaria alternata (5.15%)
• Rhizopus spp. (4.34%) and Aspergillus niger
(3.03%)

19. Major fungal pathogens reported on
irrigated plantations
• Fusarium solani (11.16%),
• Fusarium oxysporum (6.67%),
• Ganoderma lucidum (6.23%),
• Fusarium pallidorosium (5.22%) and
Phytophthora cinnamomi (3.93%).

20. Pathogens reported in roots, bark and
twigs
• Phytophthora cinnamomi,
• Fusarium solani,
• Fusarium oxysporum,
• Botryodiplodia theobromae,
• Fusarium pallidorosium,
• Ganoderma lucidum,
• Penicillium spp. and Aspergillus spp.,

21. REMEDIAL MEASURES AND RECOMMENDATIONS
• Avoid Injury
• Mixed Cropping
• Sanitary measures
• Deep Planting
• Site Selection
• Fungicides
• Resistant cultivars

22. CONCLUSIONS
• A complete survey of the disease in different
ecological zones is necessary to make an
evaluation of the damage caused by the parasite
in the natural, irrigated plantations and all along
the canals and roads.
• Countries can collaborate on the research,
exchange new findings, and develop a program
for exchange of genetic material and testing them
for performance and disease resistance.