Commercial Floriculture

Diseases of tuberose

• 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.