Diseases of fruit plantation medicinal and aromatic crops (2+1)

Sooty mould

Causal organism: Capnodium braziliense puttom.

• Sooty mould of coffee is seen whenever there is heavy attack of aphids & scale insects. The fungus responsible is ectophytic and not a pathogen.
• The fungus feeds on excreta and secretions of the insects & indirectly hinders the normal leaf functioning.
• The leaves & shoots are covered with black sooty fungal growth, affecting photosynthetic activity of the plants.
Management

• Spray any systemic insecticide to control insects so as to prevent the sooty mould.
• To avoid the fungus, spraying plants with 1kg fish oil resin soap + 1kg starch in 200 litres of water is recommended.
• The mouldy growth peels off when the starch gets dried.