Diseases of Fruit Plantation Medicinal and Aromatic Crops

Leaf blight disease

Leaf blight

The disease is characterized by reddish brown spots which blight the leaves.
Later black crusty appearance will form which is little hard.
Phomopsis palmicola var. arecae has been reported as the causal organism for leaf blight of seedlings at transplanting stage. This leads to stunted growth.
Causal organism

Pestalotiopsis palmarum (Cooke), Phomopsis palmicola var. arecae.

Primary source of innoculum: Dormant mycelia.
Secondary source of innoculum: Conidia borne in acervulus.
Spread: Air borne conidia which enter through stomata.
Epidemiology: Neglected orchards, summer irrigation, root infection. Poor soil fertility favour the incidence.