Diseases of Fruit Plantation Medicinal and Aromatic Crops

Coniothyrium blight

Causal Organism: Coniothyrium diplodiella ( Speg.) Petr. & Syd. [Perfect stage Leptosphaeria coniothyrium (Fel. ) Sacc.].

• Isolated, reddish brown, irregular spots appear along the margins of the leaf. Affected leaf shows reddening from the margin towards the centre.
• Later, the lesions become cinnamon brown and bear pycnidia in dark encrustations.
• Leaves curl downward, wither and fall prematurely in dry weather.
• In damp weather conditions, they curl upwards and remain in the branches for longer time as compared to healthy leaves.
• Dark brown, circular shrunken areas are seen on twigs, petioles and tendrils.
• Fungus produces pycnidia. Conidia are single celled, light amber- coloured when young and dark brown when old .