Pests and diseases

Pests and diseases

    Tuberose is hardy crop and is not much affected by attacks of insect pests and diseases.

    Pests
    Aphids and grasshoppers are found to feed on flower buds and leaves. They can be controlled by a 0.1 % spray of Malathion or Rogor at an interval of 15 days. The leaves become yellow or bronze, due to the sucking of sap by red spider mites. A spray of Metasystox (0.2%), wettable sulphur (0.3%) or Kelthane (0.5%) is recommended for effective control. The flowers also get deformed by thrips attack. The control measure suggested is to spray Nuvacron (0.1 %) or the application of Thimet to the soil. Root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) and greasy streak nematode (Aphelencoides besseyi) are reported to cause damage to the crop, which is characterized by the stunted growth of the plants. The leaf size is reduced and the flowers look sickly and, ultimately, the roots rot. The application of Thimet or Furadan (20 kg/ha) to the soil has been recommended for control.

    Diseases
    The fungi, Scelerotium rolfsii, deposits prominent, coarse, mycelial masses on the leaf surface or near the soil-level. Later, the infested spots exhibit a light-green colour due to rotting which extend and cover the whole leaf. Drenching the soil around the stem with Brassicol @ 1 % and the soil with 0.3% has been recommended for control.
    The fungi, Alternaria polyantha, causes leaf-spot disease, which is characterized by the appearance of brown spots with faint concentric rings on the mid-rib. Bordeaux mixture (0.4%), Zineb (0.5%) or Ziram spray will effectively control the disease.
    The other diseases reported are leaf-spot and blight caused by Botrytis elliptica, rust and powdery mildew, which are not serious. Suitable fungicides may be administered to control them when the damage is noticed.

Last modified: Wednesday, 4 April 2012, 9:34 AM