1. Root Rot of Berseem
Symptoms
- Localised or general rot
- Any part of the root system
- Tap-root, secondary root or crown affected
- Rotting limited to cortical region
- Vascular core or entire root affected
- Lower tap-root destroyed completely
- Wilting leads to gradual death of plants
Treatment
- Improve plants vigour
- Balanced fertilizers (Potash is important)
- Destruction of diseased plant debris
- Sanitation of the field
- Crop rotation
i. Crown and Stem Rot of Berseem
Symptoms
- Small brown spots on leaves and petioles
- Grayish brown withering of heavily infected leaves
- Leaves over-run with white mycelium
- Damage extends to crown and roots
- Crown and basal parts show brown soft rot
- Part or whole new growth wilts and die
- White mycelium grows on dead leaves and petiole
- Disease patches merge causing extensive damage
- Plants may recover in warmer days
- Sclerotia (2-12 x 2-8 mm) on stem and crown under high moisture condition in late winter
Treatment
- Destruction of diseased plant debris
- Crop rotation with non-host crops
- Late sowing reduces sclerotial formation
- Autumn clippings reduces disease
- Increase number of cuttings
- Carbendazim or Propiconazole spray after 1st cutting
- Sanitation of the field
- Balanced fertilizers (Potash is important)
- Resistant varieties
2. Anthracnose of Lucerne (Colletotrichumtrifolii)
Symptoms
- Small elongated, light brown spots
- Initially on stem, petiole and flowering shoots
- Spots darken, extend and penetrate to pith
- Girdling of stem
- Leaves and inflorescence wither and hang down
- Seed head development inhibited
- Breaking of stems and withering of leaves
- Scorchy appearance or crop-blackening
Treatment
- Seed treatment (Topsin, BenlateCaptan)
- Avoid excessive irrigation
- Balanced ferilizer
- Destruction of diseased plat debris
- Spray with Mancozeb
i. Root Rot and Wilt of Lucerne
Symptoms
- Appearance in localized patches
- Irregular brown rotting lesions
- Roots and crown are attacked
- Root rot in cold climate; Wilt in warm climate
- Mycelium grows in ruptured/injured tissues
- Leads to disintegration of roots and lower crown
- Rot is slow till final weakening
- Root Rot and Crown Rot followed by Wilt
- Mortality of plants in Spring and Summer
Treatment
- Crop rotation
- Resistant varieties
- Destruction of diseased plant debris
- Balanced Fertilizer (Potash not to be ignored)
3. Crown Rust of Oats (Pucciniacoronata)
Symptoms
- Bright orange yellow round to oblong pustules
- No loose epidermis around pustules
- (Loose epidermis distinctively character of stem rust)
- Telia sometimes formed around uredia
- Black or dark-brown
- Covered with epidermis
- Pycnial and aecial stage on leaves
- Urediospores and aeciospores act as Primary source
- Urediospores can be carried by air currents
- 30 mph wind results 5000ft altitude with displacement upto 2000km
- (Wind serves for the spread of secondary infection)
Treatment
- Continuous Resistance development
- Relative resistant to all races
- Destruction of Alternative host
- Foliar spray
- Carbendazim, PropiconazoleTebuconazole
4. Anthracnose of Sorghum(Colletotrichumgraminicola)
Symptoms
- Small ellliptical to circular spots on leaves and sheath
- Straw-colouredcentres
- Broad purple, red or tan coloured margins
- Black spot in the centre is fruiting body
- Pink conidial mass under favourable conditions
- Many spots coalesce to affect larger area
- Stalk rot precedes anthracnose
- Stalk rot causes lodging and crop-stand loss
- Little foliar disease is evident in some cases
- Infection within 2 months of sowing is critical
- Warm humid conditions increase stalk rot/anthracnose severity
- Dry weather usually prevents anthracnose
Treatment
- Seed treatment (benomyl, carbendazim)
- Field sanitation and
- Eradication of weeds
- Destruction of diseased plant debris during off-season
- Crop rotation with non-cereal crops
- Foliar spray (thiophanate methyl)
5. Rot Complex of Sorghum
Symptoms
- Charcoal rot fungus invades lower stalk pith tissues
- Leading to intense black or red pigmentation
- Sclerotia on vascular bundles
- Badly affected stalks: vascular bundles covered with sclerotia
- Fusarium attack imparts no distinct colouration
- Quick invasion of senescing tissues causes extensive damage
- Root rot is followed by stalk rot, lodging and reduced grain filling
- Older roots are destroyed and new roots show distinct lesions of different sizes and shapes
- Plants get easily uprooted
- graminicolum infected stalks show distinct red colouration in the upper stalk tissue
- Infection limited to peduncle and upper stalk
- Pith senescence occurs first
Treatment
- Seed treatment
- Less irrigation before flowering
- Irrigation after flowering
- Balanced fertilizer: less N and higher K
- Field sanitation
- Destruction of diseased plant debris
- Higher Available Water Content (AWT) and lower depletion rate assists resistance
6. Stalk Rot of Maize
Symptoms
- General Stalk Rot symptoms
- Affected leaves turn grey-green
- Wilting and death of plants
- Dark lesions or spots on lower nodes (externally)
- Pith is shredded and has pink to red colour
- Diplodia: Small black spots (pycnidia) embedded in stalk rind; hard to remove
- Gibberella: Small black spots on lower nodes-easily scraped off
- Fusarium: Light brown to black lesions near nodes with salmon-pink fungal growth in the pith
Treatment
- Resistant varieties
- Removal of crop residues minimizes disease
- Crop rotation-two years
- Fungicidal application are not economical
7. Maize Anthracnose-Leaf Blight(Colletotrichumgraminicola)
Symptoms
- Can affect leaves and stalk
- Oval spots on leaves
- Tan centre and reddish-brown border
- Spots may join to form streaks
- Small black spots may be seen in the centre
- General yellowing around the affected area
- Top die-back observed at later stage
- Wilting and death of the plant occurs
Treatment
- Resistant varieties
- Resistance to Anthracnose Leaf Blight is separate from that of Anthracnose Stalk Rot
- Sanitation and removal of crop residues minimizes the disease
- Crop rotation of two years
- Fungicidal application are not economical