Diseases of Fruit Plantation Medicinal and Aromatic Crops

Base rot of pineapple

Causal organism: Ceratocystis paradoxa

Symptoms

• It is typically the black rot of butt of the plant.
• The soft tissues are destroyed and only stringy fibers decay of the butt is followed by wilting of the foliage and the diseased plants break off at low level
• The leaves show grey spots with dark margin which turn olive brown or white. With advancement of the diseases tissues become dry and leaves are destroyed.
• Finally the skin flesh and core get disintegrated.
• The fruit decay is accompanied by a sweetish smell and the fungus can be found on the rotting tops and suckers left lying in heaps in damp situation
Mode of spread

• The parasitic fungus survives in the form of black spores in the soil.
• Infection takes place during picking and packing, through spores disseminated by wind or rains or affected parts.
Epidemiology

• The disease is prevalent in warmer months with wet weather conditions.
• The disease development is favoured by warm weather and wet soil or storage conditions.
  
• Serious losses occur when the suckers are kept in a damp place or when planting is followed by prolonged wet weather condition.
Management
• The planting material should be cured for at last two are three days in the sun before planting or packing for transportation.
• Dipping of the plants captofol solution(13.5kg/ha).
• Dipping of fruits after harvest for three minutes in benomyl (0.2%) or thiabendazole (0.1%) solution.