Diseases of Fruit Plantation Medicinal and Aromatic Crops

Root rot disease

Causal organism: Ganoderma lucidum
Symptoms

• Yellowing of lower leaves which gradually progresses upwards followed by drooping of branches
  
• Infected leaves bend or fall down.
• Longitudinal cracking can be seen through these cracks, gummy oozing appear which results in mushroom like basidiocarp formation. Root rotting is common after the death of the infected tree.



Etiology

• Septate mycelia, Inter and intracellular haustoria
• Source of inoculum
• Primary sources of inoculum: Basidiospores, Chlamydospores (survival)
• Secondary sources of inoculum: Dormant mycelia (present in wounded exposed roots)
Epidemiology

• Warm weather
• Temp. - 30-32°C
• R.H - 80 - 90%.
• pH - Slightly alkaline
• Susceptible Host
• Root to root contact
Management

• Maintain proper plant density
• Application of clay soil
• Summer irrigation
• Root feeding with Calixin @ 20 ml/100 ml of water
• Removal and burning of severely affected plants
• Application of Trichoderma spp, the bio control agent to the soil