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

Cercospora leaf spot

Causal Organism: Cercospora atropa
Symptoms

• Round to angular, brown spots with chestnut colored margins appear on both sides of the leaves.
• The conidiophores produced on the spots are olive brown and tuft whip like.
  
• Multicellulars conidia can be seen on the conidiophores.
Etiology

• Septate mycelia, Inter and intra cellular haustoria .
• Asexual spores: Conidia
• Sexual spores: Ascospores
• Vegetative structure: Dorment Mycelia
• Primary Source of Inoculum: Dormant mycelia.
• Secondary Source of Inoculum: Air borne conidia.
Epidemiology

• Warm weather, 30-32°C.
• Relative Humidity 85-90%.
• Poor nutritional management.
• Susceptible Host.
Life Cycle



 Management
• Select healthy plot and use healthy planting material.
• Fallow crop rotation with non host crop.
• Application of biological agents (Trichoderma spp.)
• Spray mancozeb (0.25%).