Diseases of Fruit Plantation Medicinal and Aromatic Crops

Stem wasting disorder

Symptoms

• Symptoms become apparent from Aug-Oct on 6-8 months old plants.
• Infected plants show a constriction at the first or second node from the base.
• The stem portion above the constriction becomes swollen with gradual thinning of the stem below the constriction.
• The tip pair of leaves of the infected plants show copper bronze or pale yellow coloration.
• The plants become lean & lanky.
• It easily snap off at the constriction.
Management

1. Avoid spraying copper based fungicides in the nursery.
2. To protect plants in the nursery from diseases, spray organic fungicides like Captan, Dithane, and Foltaf etc.
This is a non-parasitic disorder resulting from the toxicity of copper fungicides sprayed on young coffee plants in the nursery during the inclement monsoon weather from May-Sep.