Major diseases of Pineapple are:-
1.Pineapple Heart rot: Phytophthora parasitica
Symptom:
- The disease causes complete rotting of the central portion of the stem.
- The top leaves turn a brown and basal portion of leaves shows sign of rotting with a foul odour.
Management:
- Affected plantations should be sprayed with Fosetyl AL 0.1%.
- Good soil drainage and use of healthy planting material at help in minimising the spread of the disease.
2.Pineapple Leaf and Fruit rot: Cyratostomella paradoxa
Symptom:
- Base or butt rot of planting material occurs when they are not dried and packed with a little aeration.
- The fungus also destroys older plants by entering through wounds caused in the collar region while weeding or other operations.
- In severe conditions, the entire plant may turn dark and rot within two or three days
Management:
- The disease can be controlled by dipping planting materials in 0.3% Dithane Z-78 or by spraying on leaves.
- Copper fungicide should not be used in pineapple as they cause leaf scorching.
- The diseased plants must be destroyed and suckers for propagation should never be collected from the infested area.
3.Pineapple Thielaviopsis rot: Thielaviopsis paradoxa
Symptom:
- The symptoms start at the stem and advance through most of the flesh with the only external symptom being slight skin darkening due to water soaking of the skin over rotted portions of the flesh.
- As the flesh softens, the skin above readily breaks under slight pressure
Management:
- Avoid suckers from infected area for planting.
- Avoid deep planting and used raised beds, improve drainage.
- Use Bordeaux mixture 1% or Copper oxychloride 0.25% for a pre-plant dip and for a soil drench.
Source-
- TamilNadu Agritech Portal
