1. Fungal diseases are a major cause of plant diseases in vegetables. Fungi infect plants through natural openings or wounds and are spread by wind, water, contaminated soil/machinery. 2. Important fungal diseases of brinjal include Cercospora leaf spot, damping off caused by Pythium, Rhizoctonia, Fusarium, Alternaria rot, Anthracnose fruit rot, Fusarium wilt, Verticillium wilt, and Phytophthora blight. 3. These diseases cause symptoms like leaf spots, fruit rot, seedling damping off, stem wilting, and plant death. Management involves crop rotation, resistant varieties,

1. Important fungal diseases on vegetables-
BRINJAL(Egg plant)
Solanum melongena Family- Solanaceae
Vaishali S.Patil
Professor, Department of Botany
Shri Shivaji College of Arts, Commerce & Science Akola

2. 1.Fungi constitute the largest number of plant
pathogens and are responsible for a range of serious
plant diseases. Most vegetable diseases are caused by
fungi. They damage plants by killing cells and/or
causing plant stress.
2. Sources of fungal infections are infected seed, soil,
crop debris, nearby crops and weeds. Fungi are
spread by wind and water splash, and through the
movement of contaminated soil, animals, workers,
machinery, tools, seedlings and other plant material.
3.They enter plants through natural openings such as
stomata and through wounds caused by pruning,
harvesting, hail, insects, other diseases, and
mechanical damage.

3. IMPORTANT DISEASES OF BRINJAL(Egg plant)
Solanum melongena Family- Solanaceae

4. Disease -1. Cercospora beticola Sacc
Symptoms –This fungus produces large, irregular or circular brown
or grey spots on leaves and also causes fruit rot. The central grey
portion shows the presence of fungal fruiting bodies as black dots.
The disease is primarily soil borne and seed borne when fruit rot
occurs. Severely affected leaves wither and die from coalescing
lesions. A diagnostic feature is the presence of tiny black dots
(pseudostromata) that form in leaf substomatal cavities within the
grayish-tan lesions. The pseudostromata produce conidiophores borne
in clusters that serve as conidia-bearing structures.

5. .
Structure of fungus: Mycelium is well-developed, branched, septate,
slender, intercellular and brown coloured. Conidiophores septate , dark-
coloured structures coming out in tufts from stomata. Conidia , hyaline
or pale yellow, obclavate, needle-shaped , colorless, septate .
Control measure: Removal and destruction of affected plant parts and
spraying the affected plants with Bavistin (0.1%) or Chlorothalonil (2
g/litre of water) is useful for disease control.

6. 2.Damping Off -Sclerotinia spp.-
Symptoms: It Infect seedlings at ground level and then the
plants fall over ground. Fungi infect the germinating seeds at
the initial stages and later spread to basal stem and developing
roots. The diseased seedlings become pale green and brownish
lesions are found at the collar region, resulting in bottling and
topple over of seedlings.

7. Structure of fungus: Hyphae hyaline, septate, branched and
multinucleate. Mycelium white to tan, sclerotium; a
pigmented,. Sclerotia can germinate to produce mycelia or
apothecia depending on environmental conditions. Apothecia
produce ascospores,.
Control measure: : Making the crop microclimate less conducive for
infection, utilization of effective fungicides to protect susceptible plants,
elimination of sources of inoculum, and selection of resistant plants.
Successful disease control commonly requires implementation and
integration of multiple techniques.

8. 3.Damping Off -Pythium spp..-
Symptoms: This fungus is the most common cause of pre-emergence
Damping-Off. Typical symptoms include dark-brown to black, water-
soaked lesions that rapidly spread over the entire seedling. Brown, water-
soaked lesions that start on the roots and later extend up the hypocotyl
characterize post-emergence Damping-Off. Eventually, the lesions girdle
the hypocotyl, causing seedlings to wilt and die. The root cortex becomes
macerated and easily sloughs off.

9. Structure of fungus -Main hyphae broad, Sporangia is filamentous or
non-inflated, sometimes branched. Zoospores formed ,vesicles are
varying from very small containing 2 zoospores to big containing many
zoospores. Oogonia were globose, to subglobose and sometimes ovoid,
smooth, mostly terminal or subterminal, occasionally intercalary;
Antheridia, typically diclinous, 1-2 per oogonium. Antheridial stalks not
branched. Oospores were single, aplerotic.
Control measure: Damping-off can be avoided by starting seed in light, well-drained, well-
prepared soil or sterile mix (containing perlite, peat moss, or vermiculite); treating soil with
steam, dry heat or a fumigant; avoiding overcrowding, excessive shade, overwatering, too deep
planting, and over fertilizing; and sowing crack-free, healthy seed dusted with fungicide seed
protectant. An early outbreak can be controlled by applying a fungicide solution.

10. 4.Damping Off -Rhizoctonia solani: Symptoms: Pre-emergence
symptoms include reddish-brown lesions on hypocotyls and death of
growing tips. Post-emergence Damping-Off is characterized by reddish-
brown to black lesions that develop on roots and hypocotyls at or below
the soil line. Later, hypocotyls collapse and seedlings wilt and die.
.

11. Structure of fungus -The vegetative mycelium are colorless when young
but become brown colored as they grow and mature. The mycelium
consists of hyphae partitioned into individual cells by a septum
containing a dough-nut shaped pore. The hyphae often branch at a
90o angles and usually possess more than three nuclei per hyphal cell.
Mycelium buff-colored to dark brown, sclerotia (if present) irregular
shape, light to dark brown.
Control measure: Biological control using Trichoderma spp.
and Gliocladium spp. or bacteria such as Pseudomonas spp.
and Bacillus spp. Chemical control by benomyl and
thiophanate methyl.

12. 5Damping Off -Fusarium spp. Symptoms: Dark-brown lesions on
hypocotyls characterize pre-emergence Damping-Off. Post emergence
Damping-Off is characterized by dark-brown lesions on roots and
hypocotyls at or near the crown. Lesions eventually girdle hypocotyls,
killing the seedlings.

13. Structure of fungus- Hyaline septate, hyphae, hialides are cylindrical, with a small
collarets, solitary or produced as a component of a complex branching system.
Monophialides and polyphialides (in heads or in chains) may be observed.
Macroconidia are produced from phialides on unbranched or branched conidiophores.
They are 2- or more celled, thick-walled, smooth, and cylindrical or sickle- (canoe-
)shaped. Macroconidia have a distinct basal foot cell and pointed distal ends. They tend
to accumulate in balls or rafts. Microconidia (on the other hand, are formed on long or
short simple conidiophores. They are 1-celled (occasionally 2- or 3-celled), smooth,
hyaline, ovoid to cylindrical, and arranged in balls (occasionally occurring in chains).
Chlamydospores, when present, are sparse, in pairs, clumps or chains. They are thick-
walled, hyaline, intercalary or terminal.
Control measure- The disease can be controlled by seed treatment with agrosan or
ceresin @2gm/kg of seed.

14. 6.Alternaria Rot -Alternaria leaf spot caused by
Alternaria melongenae
Symptoms -The disease causes characteristic leaf
spots with concentric rings. The spots are mostly
irregular and coalesce to cover large areas of the leaf
blade. Severely affected leaves drop off. The
symptoms on the affected fruits are in the form of
large deep-seated spots. The infected fruits turn yellow
and drop off prematurely.

15. Structure of fungus -Septate, brown hyphae. Conidiophores are also
septate and brown in color, occasionally producing a zigzag appearance.
They bear simple or branched large conidia which have both transverse
and longitudinal septations. These conidia may be observed singly or in
acropetal chains and may produce germ tubes. They are ovoid to
obclavate, darkly pigmented, muriform, smooth or roughened. The end
of the conidium nearest the conidiophore is round while it tapers towards
the apex. This gives the typical beak or club-like appearance of the
conidia.
Control measure: Removal and destruction of affected plant parts and
spraying the affected plants with Bavistin (0.1%).

16. 7.Anthracnose Fruit Rot (Colletotrichum spp.)-
Symptoms -Small lesions occur on the skin of the
fruit. These are usually smaller than a pencil eraser
and circular to angular. Tissue is sunken around the
lesion and the interior is tan with fleshy ooze which is
the spore of the fungus. When fruits are extremely
diseased, they will drop from the stem. The fruit
becomes dry and black. The entire fruit is inedible and
the spores spread rapidly from rain splash or even
wind.

17. Control measure-Careful seed selection, removal of the
previous season’s plant debris, crop rotation ,application of
fungicides early in the season can help to prevent many
outbreaks. Some growers also recommend a post-harvest
fungicide dip or a hot water bath.
Structure of fungus –Conidia cylindrical, hyaline and
aseptate , formed on cylindrical conidiophores.
Acervuli on the roots are rounded with septate setae on
the surface. Appressoria are ovate to elliptical in
shape. Mycelium are dark inpigmentation.

18. 8.Fusarium Wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp.
melongenae)
Symptoms- It appear as a slight yellowing of foliage
and wilting of upper leaves. As wilting progresses,
leaves may turn dull-green to brown and remain
attached to the plant. When the stem and roots are cut
diagonally, reddish-brown streaks are visible in the
vascular tissues.

19. Structure of fungus- Hyphae are septate and hyaline.
Conidiophores are simple (non-branched) or branched
monophialides (phialides with a single opening).
Macroconidia are moderately curved, stout, thick-walled,
usually 3-5 septate and are borne on short conidiophores that
soon form sporodochia. Microconidia are borne from long
monophialides, are one to three-celled and occur in false heads
only (in clusters of conidia at the tip of the phialide).
Chlamydoconidia are present (sometimes profuse) and occur
both singly and in pairs.
Control measure-use of the bacterial complex Burkholderia cepacia,
planting during warm/dry weather, 3 plus years of crop rotation of non
host species, and avoiding dense seed planting.

20. 9.Verticillium Wilt (Verticillium spp.)-
Symptoms-It include yellowing and drooping of
leaves on a few branches or on the entire plant. The
edges of the leaves roll inward on infected plants, and
foliar wilting ensues. The foliage of severely infected
plants turns brown and dry.

21. Structure of fungus- The vegetative mycelium is hyaline,
septate, and multinucleate. The nuclei are haploid. Conidia are
ovoid or ellipsoid and usually single-celled.
Control measure-Water the plant regularly, and when possible,
provide afternoon shade. Fertilize on schedule, using a low-
nitrogen, high-phosphorus fertilizer. Prune off dead and dying
branches. Solarisation of the soil.

22. 10.Phytophthora Blight (Phytophthora spp.)
Symptoms- The disease starts within infected soil, the first
symptoms come above ground, often when seemingly healthy,
fruit-forming plants suddenly wilt and die midseason.Stem
cankers develop, often at the soil line, and stems begin to rot
inside. Leaves show dark spots that enlarge until foliage looks
bleached and scorched. Infected fruits stay attached to the
plant but develop dark, water-soaked blotches that become
covered in cottony white mold.

23. Control measure: Avoiding favorable conditions (soil saturated with
water), applying fungicides Presidio, Revus, Forum, and phosphorous
acid starting before disease onset (preventive schedule), and promptly
destroying affected plants at the start of an outbreak to limit spread.
Structure of fungus- the mycelium , white and fluffy Sporangia ellipsoid
to lemon shaped with a small pedicel. Sporangia germinate either
directly to form a germ tube or indirectly via zoospores. Zoospores (ca 7-
12 per sporangium) have two flagella, one forward-directed tinsel type
and a backward-directed whiplash type (heterokont). Zoospores are
usually uninucleate, but binucleate zoospores have been detected.
Oogonia tapering at base. Antheridia amphigynous, elongated
cylindrical,. Oospores aplerotic.

24. 11.Southern Blight (Sclerotium rolfsii)- It attacks stems,
roots, leaves, and fruit . The watery, soft, decayed tissue tends
to remain on the ground when an infected fruit is picked up.
Yellowing and wilting of the lateral branches, main stem, or
the entire plan. Brown lesions at the stem base. Diagnostic
signs of the fungus include characteristic white mycelial fans
and brown sclerotia extending from infected tissues.

25. Control measure: Deep plowing serves as a cultural control tactic by
burying sclerotia deep in the soil. High soil moisture, dense planting, and
frequent irrigation promote infection.
Structure of fungus- At least two types of hyphae are produced (1)
Coarse, straight, large cells have two clamp connection at each
septation, but may exhibit branching in place of one of the clamps.
Branching is common in the slender hyphae which tend to grow
irregularly and lack clamp connections. Slender hyphae are often
observed penetrating the substrate. Sclerotia initially a felty white
appearance, to a dark brown coloration, contain viable hyphae.

26. 12.Phomopsis blight or fruit rot caused by Phomopsis
vexans-
Symptoms -Occurs at seedling stage as well as in
transplanted crop. Small circular spots develops in
leaves, later turn grey with light coloured centre. Pale
to light brown sunken spots develop on the old fruits.
Individual spots expand and coalesce to cover entire
fruit or most part of the fruits.

27. Structure of fungus-
Conidiomata pycnidial, subepidermal, erumpent, dark, thick-walled,
flattened to globose, varying in size,, with or without a beak;. Phialides
hyaline, simple or branched, sometimes septate, arising from the
innermost layer of cells lining the cavity. Alpha conidia hyaline, aseptate,
sub-cylindrical Beta conidia filiform, curved, hyaline, septate,, non-
germinating. Hyphae hyaline, septate, Ascomata perithecial, in culture
usually in clusters, beaked; beaks sinuous, carbonaceous, irregular,. Asci
clavate, sessile, eight-spored. Ascospores biseriate, hyaline, narrowly
ellipsoid to bluntly fusoid, one-septate, constricted at the septum,

28. Control measures:
•Use healthy seeds collected from healthy fruits and healthy
field.
•Grow resistant varieties like Pusa Bhairav and Florida
market.
•Give hot water treatment to seeds at 500 C for 30 minutes.
•Seed treatment with carbendazim @ 0.25%
•At least three-year crop rotation is required with any non-host
crop.
•Burn infected crop residue.
•Bavistin: Seed treatment (1g/kg) + seedling treatment for 30
minutes(0.05% solution)+ (0.05% solution spray at 10-15 days
interval.