Major Colocasia diseases are:-
1.Colocasia Root rot: Pythium sp.
Symptom:
- The pathogen cause stunting. Infected taro plants have a fringe of roots at the base of the petioles.
- They are easy to pull out or knock over and usually smell bad.
2.Leaf blight of Colocasia: Phytophthora sp.
Symptom:
- In its early stages, Phytophthora leaf blight occurs as small dark brown or purple lesions with an amber ooze in the center.
- Older lesions are zonate with white fuzz of sporangia on the outer edge.
Management:
- Hot Water Disinfestations
- Fallows for Disease Suppression.
- Isolate plantings (e.g., three small, separate patches instead of one large patch).
- Prepare the soil well and amend it before planting if calcium, magnesium, or phosphorus are needed.
- Monitor plant calcium levels by leaf analysis, and maintain calcium at recommended concentrations to prevent the development of Pythium corm rot.
- Add lime material before planting to raise soil pH to 6.0-6.8.
- Rotate taro with other crops.
- Incorporate compost and apply surface mulch.
- Rogue (kill and remove) diseased plants, taking them far from the planting area and destroying them by burying, burning (if allowed), or composting
Source-
- TamilNadu Agritech Portal
