Anthracnose: Enlarged spots on leaves
Pathogen: Colletotrichum gloeosporioides
Symptoms
The disease is characterized by sunken spots of various colours on leaves, stems, fruits or flowers. These spots often enlarge, and lead to wilting, withering, and dying of infected plant tissues.
Disease development
The fungus prefers warm humid environment for spreading the anthracnose disease uniformly and effectively. The fungus is primarily invade into injured or weakened tissues of plants, produces various specialized structures during infection processThe disease is severe during August-September when there is high humidity and the temperature between 20-27ºC.n
Control
Carbendazim/ Difenconazole or Thiophanate methyl at 0.25ml/lit sprays at fort-nightly intervals have been found effective. Spraying of Difenconazole 25 EC at 1.0 ml/lit or Prochloraz 45 EC at 0.75ml/lit were effective against anthracnose disease. Spraying of systemic fungicides namely Hexaconazole @1ml/lit / Thiophanate methyl @ 1g/lit/ Carbendazim @ 1g/lit at 20 days interval is quite effective. Among the contact fungicides Chlorothalonil (2g/l) followed by Mancozeb (2g/l) were more efficacious.