Diseases of Fruit Plantation Medicinal and Aromatic Crops

Wilt of pineapple

Causal organism: Pine apple Wilt Virus
Symptoms

• Leaves develop characteristic bronzing symptoms starting from third or fourth whorl on words.
• The leaves show bright pink colour browning of the tips with downward curling of the margin.
• The pink colour becomes more pronounced and leaves become dry from the top downwards
• Finally the tips become completely dried.
• The bright pink colour becomes dull and root system collapses.
Mode of spread and survival
• The disease is transmitted through mealybugs, (Dysmicocus brevipes).
  
Management

• Higher level of nitrogen in the soil decreased the disease incidence.
• Wilt incidence was in plots having a plant population.
• Diseased sucker can be caused and recovered within 30-50 days of hot water or heat treatment at 50oc for 3 hours.