POWDERY MILDEW IN CHILLI - A DISEASE IN WINTER TO CAUSE HEAVY CROP LOSSE!

The powdery mildew caused in chilli by Leveillula taurica (Lev.) causing heavy yield loss ranging from 14 to 20 per cent, due to severe defoliation and reduction in photosynthesis, size and number of fruits per plant. This disease is very common from November to February.

Causes:

• The growth of the fungus is favored by low light, with high humidity and moderate temperature.

•   Greenhouses provide an ideal moist, temperature conditions for rapid spread of the disease. 

•     The pathogen even remains in weeds or crop hosts. 

•     Old and stressed plants are more susceptible than healthy young plants.

Symptomes:

• The symptoms appear primarily on foliage as light green to bright yellow lesions on the upper surface of leaf.

• The spots enlarge and become necrotic tissues. 

• Lesions may be seen on the underside of  leaves. 

• Under favourable conditions, dense whitish powdery fungal growth appear on the underside of leaves, causing mild distortions. 

•  Later the fungal growth spreads on the upper side of the leaves also ultimately the entire leaves will wither and die, but they remain attached to the stem.

• The symptoms will not appear on fruits or stems, but  loss of foliage leads to sunscald.

•  Loss of foliage reduces the rate of photosynthesis ultimately which reduces the yield by  50% and quality of the fruits also will be affected. 

• Fruits produced by infected plants will lack flavor and normal taste
  
  
  
  

Preventive Measures:


Avoid overcrowding of seedlings in the nursery, and check each for infection before field transplanting. 

•        Control the weed host plants regularly.

•        Provide proper aeration and light penetration with proper plant spacing without over-crowding.

•        Do not apply excessive amounts of nitrogen fertilizer because abundant leafy growth promotes favourable condition for disease development.

•        Ensure plants with adequate amounts of water as moisture stress may increase susceptibility.

•        Improve ventilation by proper pruning and staking.

•        Collect all the trash and burn or bury it.

•        Avoid over-lapping crops to prevent spores from older crops infecting newer ones at an early age.

•        Practice crop rotation, choosing a non-host crop, e.g., root crops or those in the cabbage family.

•        Use resistant varieties

Management of powdery mildew with chemical fungicides

Spray with Contaf plus-2ml/lt or Folicur-1 to 1.5ml/lt or Nissodium-0.75-1ml/lt or Nativo-0.5gm/lt or Luna experience-1ml/lt or Merivon-0.4ml/lt 

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