Spices and Condiments (1+1)

Pests and diseases

Pests
Cinnamon Butterfly (Chilasa clytic)
The caterpillars of the pest feed voraciously on the young leaves and defoliate the plants. They are pale yellow with dark stripes on the sides of the body. The pest can be controlled by spraying 0.05% Quinalphos. Infestation by the leaf miner (Melanagromyza sp.), which is sometimes serious on tender leaves of seedlings in the nursery, can be controlled by spraying 0.05% Monocrotophos. Shoot and leaf webber, leaf miner (Conopomorpha civica), tussock caterpillar and leaf psyllid are a few other pests attacking cinnamon. They can be controlled by spraying Dimethoate (0.03%) or Demacron (0.4%). Pink shoot borer, red ants, termites, loopers (Fascellina castanea and Hyposidra infixaria), Cleora alienaria sub sp. rasanaria, Lopharcha sp, beetles (Dercitina sp) and Coptosoma variegata are also reported to cause damage to cinnamon plants.

Diseases
Pink diseasev
This is caused by the fungus Corticum javanicum, during the rainy season. It develops a pale pinkish-white crust on the stems of the plants, destroying the corky layer and causing the death of the shoot or twig. The disease can be controlled by spraying 1% Bordeaux mixture.

Seedling Blight
In nurseries, blighting of the stem with light brown patches is noticed. This results often in the death of seedlings. Diploida sp. has been isolated from such seedlings. Spraying the plant with 1% Bordeaux mixture and 0.3% Copper oxychloride controls the disease.

Nursery leaf-spot and die-back disease (Colletotrichum gloeosporoides)
On young nursery seedlings, small brown specks appear which gradually enlarge resulting in the drying of the leaf. From the leaves, the infestation spreads to the stem, resulting in necrosis from the apex downwards. On old seedlings and mature trees, light and dark brown concentric zonations occur on the stem. The central portion of the necrotic tissue causing shot-hole symptoms also appear in certain cases in seedlings. Spraying 1% Bordeaux mixture during the rainy season controls the disease.

Leaf-spot
Dark brown leaf-spots, which appear brittle and sunken, are noticed in some trees. Gleosporium sp. is usually associated with these diseases. Algal leaf-spot, caused by Cephaleuros sp., is also quite common. The other diseases of cinnamon include grey blight caused by Pestalotiopsis palmarum and sooty mould (Phargmocapnius betle). Foliar spray with 1% Bordeaux or 0.3% Copper oxychloride controls the diseases.