Pests
Aphid (Aphis craccivora, A. gossypii, Myzus (Nectarosiphon) persicae and Acrythosiphon pisum)
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Aphids cause heavy loss to the crop. They can, however, be easily controlled by spraying a 0.07% solution of any of the insecticides like Endosulfan, Dimethoate (0.3%), Malathion (1.0%), Phosphamidon or Monocrotophos (0.1%). The spray should be repeated if insect reapers or cloudy weather prevails, which favours the insects. The varieties BDJ-11, BDJ-86-59 and PLM-98 are highly resistant to A. craccivora. The leaf eating caterpillars (Spodoptesa litura) and pod borers also attack the crop sporadically and could be controlled by spraying 0.04% Quinalphos or 0.05% Malathion.
Diseases
Powdery mildew
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This disease is caused by LevelHula taurica, Oidium sp., Erysiphe polygon ii and E. tryphi. The initial stage of this disease is marked by the appearance of a whitish, powdery mass on the leaves. If not checked at an early stage, the disease intensifies and the whole plant become whitish with the powdery coating. The seed size and the yield are adversely affected. The disease can be effectively controlled by spraying the crop with 400 to 500 litres/ha of 0.25% solution of Wettable sulphur or a 0.1% solution Kerathane or Dinacop (0.25%) thrice. The spray should be repeated after 15 days starting from 40 days after sowing. Dusting the crop with 300 mesh Sulphur dust at 20 to 25 kg/ha also controls the disease. Dusting may be repeated if the disease reappears. The varieties Prabha, Rajendra Kranti, RMt-1 and Lam Selection 1 are tolerant and the germplasm ILO-2819, 69-2320 and ILO-69-2335 are moderately resistant to this disease.
Downy mildew
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It is caused by Peronospora trigonellae. The initial stage of the disease is marked by the appearance of a whitish, downy growth on the lower surface of the leaves during February and March. As the disease advances, the leaves become yellow and fall. The plant becomes stunted and in the severe form, it dies. The disease spreads fast if the temperature rises. The disease can effectively be controlled by spraying the crop with 0.3% solution of any of the copper fungicides, Blitox, Cupramar and Fytolan or Diafoltan (0.02%) or Zineb (0.3%) at 15- day intervals. The spray should be repeated if the disease symptoms reappear or the control is not complete.
Root-rot
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This disease caused by Rhizoctonia solani appears at the late stage of the crop. The disease, beginning with the wilting and drying up of the leaves, may be reduced through adopting a proper crop rotation schedule and deep summer ploughing. The incidence is severe if legume crops, such as moth or green gram in kharif is followed by fenugreek in the rabi. It should therefore, be avoided. The application of neem cake @ one tonne per hectare in combination with seed pelleting of antagonistic fungi like Trichoderma viride, T harzianum with talc formulation at 4 g/kg of seed or drenching Carbendazin (0.1%) once at the initial appearance and again at 30-day intervals or Brassicol (0.1%) will keep the disease under check.
Leaf-spot (Alternaria alternata and Cercospora traversiana)
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This is a minor disease of fenugreek and can be controlled by spraying Bavistin (0.05%), Mancozeb (0.02%) or Zineb (0.3%).
Damping-off (Humicola fuscoatra, Pythium aphanidermatum and Rhizoctonia solani)
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The disease hacidence is minimized by seed treatment with Benomyl or Carbendazim (3 g/kg of seed) or Carbendazim (0.1%) spray and crop rotation. The disease can also be managed by drenching with Carbendazim or Brassicol.
Rust (Uromyces anthyllidis)
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The pathogen has been observed in the form of minute, brown pustules on both the surfaces of the leaves. No control measure is suggested, as the disease is of minor importance.
Methi mosaic wilt virus
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The disease is characterised by vein clearing, severe mottling, reduction in leaf size, stunting and wilting of the plants due to virus infestation. The MMWV is related to cowpea and broad bean mosaic viruses. The disease incidence can be minimised by controlling the insect vectors. Some of the fungi associated with seeds of methi are Alternaria alternata, Curvularia lunata, Fusarium equisetti and Fusarium xysporum.
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