Diseases of Fruit Plantation Medicinal and Aromatic Crops

Diseases of Arecanut

Introduction
Arecanut (Areca catechu Linn) family Palmae is a tropical palm grown in about 2,54,000ha with an annual production of 3, 33,000 tonnes. The palm is extensively cultivated in the states of Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and parts of Maharashtra, West Bengal, Assam, Goa, Meghalaya and Andhra Pradesh. The palm is affected by a number of diseases and disorders which affect the roots, stem, frond, spear leaf, spadices and developing fruits. The palms from the seedling stage are influenced by many diseases. Few diseases can cause economic yield reduction or mortality of palm.
(A) Major diseases

1. Mahali disease -Phytophthora meadii (=P. arecae)
2. Bacterial leaf stripe: Xanthomonas campestris pv. Arecae
3. Anabe roga (disease): Ganoderma lucidum
4. Yellow leaf disease: Phytoplasma-like organism
5. Bud rot - Phytophthora arecae
6. Stem bleeding -Thielaviopsis paradoxa
7. Inflorescence die back – Colletotrichum gleosporioides

(B) Minor diseases

a. Red rust - Cephaleuros sp.
b. Yellow leaf spot: Fungal complex
c. Root rot - Fusarium sp.
d. Leaf blight – Phomopsis palmicola var. arecae