Diseases of Fruit Plantation Medicinal and Aromatic Crops

Diseases of Pomegranate

Introduction
Pomegranate (Punica granatum) is one of the favorite table fruits of tropical & sub tropical regions, a native of Iran and belonging to family punicaceae. Pomegranate is extensively cultivated in Mediterranean countries like Spain, Morocco, Egypt, Iran, Afghanistan & Baluchistan.
Ripe pomegranate fruits are consumed fresh. Juice extracted from fruits makes an excellent drink. Apart from this, an attractive jelly anar-rub and syrup can also be manufactured from ripe fruits.
IMPORTANT DISEASES OF POMEGRANATE

A) MAJOR DISEASES

1. Cercospora leaf spot - Cercospora punicae
2. Bacterial blight - Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. punicae
3. Leaf spots - Colletotrichum gloeosporioides

- Sphaceloma punicae
- Fusarium fusaroidies
- Phomopsis aucubicola
- Drechslera rostara

B) Minor diseases

1. Canker - Ceuthospora phyllosticta
2. Leaf and fruit spot - Coelophoma empetri
3. Flower and fruit spot - Phytophthora nicotianae
4. Fruit Spots - Beltaraniella humicola

- Pestalotiopsis vesicolor

5. Fruit rots

a.Cladosporium fruit rot - Cladosporium oxysporum
b. Aspergillus fruit rot - Aspergillus spp.
c.Mild soft rot - Penicillium chrysogenum
d. Soft rots - Rhizopus arrhizus & R. stolonifier
e. Dry rot - Syncephalastrum racemsum

f. Fusarium rot - Fusarium equiseti
g. Phomopsis rot - Phomopsis sp.

6. Root knot nematode - Meloidogyne incognata