Category: PPT Agriculture

• Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) is affected by several fungal and viral diseases.
• Major diseases: Powdery mildew, Fusarium wilt, Alternaria leaf spot, Yellow vein mosaic.
• Effective management requires knowledge of pathogens, symptoms, and control measures.

• White or grayish powdery growth on upper leaf surfaces, later covering entire leaf.
• Lower leaf surfaces may also be infected.
• Affected leaves dry and fall prematurely, reducing yield.

Disease Cycle:

• Overwinters as dormant mycelium or cleistothecia on infected leaves.
• Secondary spread by wind-borne conidia.
• Favored by 60–80% relative humidity and dry conditions.

Management:

• Spray fungicides: wettable sulphur (0.25%), dinocap (0.1%), carbendazim (0.1%), hexaconazole (0.05%), or difenoconazole (0.05%).
• Repeat sprays at 10–14 day intervals.
• Biocontrol: Ampelomyces quisqualis, Trichoderma spp., Bacillus subtilis.
• Use azadirachtin (0.03% EC) as needed.

• Yellowing, stunting, wilting, and rolling of leaves.
• Dark brown vascular discoloration in stems.
• Severe cases: stem blackening and plant death.

Etiology:

• Produces hyaline mycelium, microconidia (single/two-celled), macroconidia (3–4 septa), and chlamydospores.

Disease Cycle:

• Survives as chlamydospores in soil and infected seeds.
• Optimum temperature for growth: 25°C; disease develops at 22–28°C.

Management:

• Use healthy, treated seed (carbendazim 0.2%).
• Practice crop rotation and soil solarization.
• Remove and destroy affected plants.
• Grow resistant varieties: CS-3232, CS-8899, IS-6653, IS-7194, Pusa Makhameli, Pusa Sawani.

• Brown leaf spots with pale margins and yellow halos.
• Lesions enlarge, show concentric rings, and coalesce.
• Severe infection causes leaf drying and defoliation.

Etiology:

• Produces cylindrical conidiophores and brown, muriform conidia with transverse and longitudinal septa.

Disease Cycle:

• Survives in infected plant debris, weed hosts, and seeds.
• Secondary spread by wind-borne conidia.

Management:

• Remove and destroy infected debris and weeds.
• Seed treatment with Thiram (6 g/kg).
• Spray Mancozeb (0.2%) after disease appearance.

• Vein yellowing and thickening, forming a network pattern.
• Leaves become chlorotic and yellow under severe infection.
• Plants are stunted with small, pale fruits.

Disease Cycle:

• Transmitted by whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) in a persistent manner.
• Wild and cultivated plants act as inoculum sources.
• Favored by dry, hot weather with low rainfall.

Management:

• Destroy wild hosts and avoid mixed cropping with pumpkin.
• Adjust sowing dates to avoid peak whitefly populations.
• Remove infected plants up to 55 days after sowing.
• Grow resistant cultivars: Punjab Padmini, Punjab-8, Prabhani Kranti, Hissar Unnat.
• Spray systemic insecticides (cypermethrin, deltamethrin, triazophos) to control vectors.

• Use disease-free, treated seeds and resistant varieties.
• Practice crop rotation, field sanitation, and timely removal of infected plants.
• Apply recommended fungicides and insecticides judiciously.
• Adopt biological control agents where feasible.
• Monitor fields regularly for early detection and management.

• Cabbage and cauliflower are susceptible to several fungal, bacterial, and viral diseases.
• Diseases can cause significant yield and quality losses.
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM) combines multiple strategies for effective disease control.
• Accurate identification is crucial for selecting appropriate management methods.

• Seedlings rot at soil level and collapse.
• Poor germination and patchy stands in nursery beds.

Management:

• Use well-drained, sterilized nursery beds.
• Avoid overwatering.
• Treat seeds with fungicides (e.g., Thiram, Captan).
• Practice crop rotation.

• Yellow spots on upper leaf surface.
• White, downy growth on lower leaf surface.
• Stunted plant growth.

Management:

• Use resistant varieties.
• Ensure good field drainage and air circulation.
• Apply fungicides (e.g., Metalaxyl, Mancozeb) as needed.

• V-shaped yellow lesions at leaf margins.
• Blackening of veins.
• Wilting and stunted growth.

Management:

• Use certified disease-free seeds.
• Practice crop rotation (2–3 years).
• Remove and destroy infected plants.
• Apply copper-based bactericides if needed.

• Dark brown to black concentric spots on leaves.
• Leaf blight and defoliation in severe cases.

Management:

• Use disease-free seeds and resistant varieties.
• Remove crop debris after harvest.
• Apply fungicides (e.g., Mancozeb, Chlorothalonil).

• Swollen, club-shaped roots.
• Wilting and stunted growth, especially in acidic soils.

Management:

• Practice long crop rotation (4–7 years).
• Apply lime to raise soil pH above 7.0.
• Use resistant varieties where available.

• Use certified, disease-free seeds and resistant varieties.
• Practice crop rotation and field sanitation.
• Monitor fields regularly for early disease detection.
• Apply biological control agents (e.g., Trichoderma spp.).
• Use chemical control judiciously, following recommended guidelines.

• Botanical name: Camellia sinensis
• Chromosome number: 2n = 30
• Origin: China
• Tea is susceptible to various fungal, algal, and oomycete diseases affecting yield and quality.
• Effective disease management is crucial for sustainable tea cultivation.

• Circular, raised, purple to reddish-brown lesions on leaves.
• Older spots become greenish-gray, resembling lichen.
• Most lesions develop on upper leaf surface; rarely harmful to plant vigor.

Disease Cycle:

• Alga produces rust-colored spore-like bodies on leaf spots.
• Dispersed by wind or rain; favored by high humidity and poor drainage.

Management:

• Avoid plant stress and poorly drained sites.
• Promote air circulation; prune and destroy infected parts.
• Apply Bordeaux mixture; improve soil nutrition (NPK).

• Small, oval, pale yellow-green spots on young leaves.
• Spots enlarge, turn brown/gray with concentric rings and black dots.
• Leads to defoliation; affects leaves of all ages.

Disease Cycle:

• Fungal spores in black dots on lesions.
• Spread by rain splash; infect new leaves under wet conditions.

Management:

• Avoid plant stress; ensure adequate spacing for air flow.
• Spray Copper Oxychloride or Bordeaux mixture (0.1%) in winter and summer.

• Pinhole-sized spots on young leaves (<1 month old).
• Spots enlarge, become transparent, then light brown.
• Blister-like symptoms with water-soaked zones; blisters turn white and velvety, then brown.
• Young stems may bend, break, or die.

Disease Cycle:

• Continuous cycle in wet conditions; spores dispersed by wind.
• Direct penetration of leaf tissue; symptoms in 10 days.

Management:

• Prune and destroy affected leaves and shoots.
• Spray Bordeaux mixture, Copper Oxychloride (0.1%), or triazole fungicides (e.g., hexaconazole).
• Apply fungicides at 5-day intervals during rainy season.

• Black, hair-like fungal threads on upper branches and twigs.
• Rapid leaf drop due to volatile substances produced by fungus.

Disease Cycle:

• Spread via extension of hair-like threads from infected to healthy twigs.

Management:

• Remove and destroy crop debris.
• Prune out infected or dead branches.

• Small, brown, irregular spots on flower petals.
• Whole flower turns brown and drops prematurely.

Disease Cycle:

• Emerges in early spring during high moisture periods.

Management:

• Remove infected flowers and crop debris.
• Apply soil drenches with suitable fungicides.

• Browning and drooping of leaves; shoots dry and die.
• Cankers form on branches; tip dieback.

Disease Cycle:

• Spores produced on dead branches; spread by rain splash.
• Entry through wounds; survives on pruned branches.

Management:

• Plant in well-drained, acidic soils.
• Remove diseased twigs below cankered areas; disinfect tools.
• Apply protective fungicides during wet weather.

• Originates from dead leaves above soil; spreads to roots.
• Star-like mycelium under bark; mycelium surrounds stem base.
• Swollen ring of tissue above dead patch.

Management:

• Remove and destroy infected plants.
• Practice clean cultivation; remove fallen leaves.
• Dig trenches around infected bushes to expose soil to sunlight.

• Sudden yellowing and wilting of leaves; branch tip dieback.
• Gray blotches and sunken cankers on bark and stem.
• Cankers girdle stem; upper parts lose vigor and die.

Comments:

• Fungus enters through wounds; symptoms worsen in hot, dry weather.

Management:

• Plant in well-drained, acidic soils.
• Remove diseased twigs below cankers; disinfect tools.
• Apply protective fungicides during wet periods.

• Yellowing leaves; poor growth; wilting; discolored roots; rapid plant death.

Comments:

• Favored by poorly drained, warm soils.

Management:

• Plant in well-drained soils; avoid waterlogging.
• Apply appropriate fungicides to protect plants.

• Yellowing foliage; wilting or sudden death of plant parts.
• Withered leaves remain attached; red discoloration of roots; whitish mycelium visible.

Comments:

• Spread by mycelial strands in soil.

Management:

• Remove infected bushes and adjacent symptomatic plants.
• Remove all living/dead roots and stumps; destroy by burning.
• Treat surrounding bushes to prevent spread.

• Apply Benomyl or Copper Oxychloride (0.01%).
• Use botanical extracts (e.g., Azadirachta, A. nilagirica) at 10% concentration.
• Apply biocontrol agents (Bacillus sp., Pseudomonas sp., Trichoderma viride).

• Use Bacillus megaterium as a plant growth promoter and biocontrol agent.
• Induces systemic resistance and reduces disease incidence.

• Apply antagonistic fungi (e.g., Aspergillus niger, Trichoderma atroviride, T. citrinoviride) as foliar sprays.
• Reduces symptom severity and disease index.

• Combine cultural, chemical, and biological control methods for sustainable management.
• Use resistant varieties where available.
• Maintain field hygiene: remove debris, prune infected parts, ensure proper spacing.
• Apply fungicides judiciously to avoid resistance.
• Promote beneficial microorganisms for biocontrol.

• Weather modification is the intentional alteration of atmospheric processes to influence local weather.
• Artificial rain making and cloud seeding are primary techniques used to enhance precipitation.
• Applications include drought mitigation, hail suppression, and fog dispersal.

• Clouds are classified as warm (cloud top temperature > 0°C) or cold (cloud top temperature < 0°C).
• Precipitation requires condensation nuclei, which differ for warm and cold clouds.
• Hygroscopic materials are used for warm clouds; ice-forming nuclei for cold clouds.

• Cloud seeding research began in the 1940s with Vincent Schaefer’s experiments using ice crystals.
• Silver iodide was later adopted due to its structural similarity to ice.
• Programs expanded globally but faced challenges in proving consistent effectiveness.

• Cloud seeding is the process of introducing artificial nuclei to induce precipitation from rain-bearing clouds.
• Methods vary for warm and cold clouds, using aircraft or ground-based generators.
• Main goals: increase rainfall, augment snowfall, mitigate hail, and disperse fog.

• Hygroscopic seeding targets warm clouds to enhance droplet coalescence.
• Glaciogenic seeding targets cold clouds to promote ice crystal formation.
• Seeding agents can be delivered by aircraft or ground-based systems.

• Increasing precipitation for agriculture and water supply.
• Augmenting snowfall to boost water resources and hydropower.
• Mitigating hail damage to crops and property.
• Dispersing fog to improve visibility and safety.

• Dry Ice Seeding: Uses solid CO2 pellets released from aircraft over cloud tops.
• Silver Iodide Seeding: Releases AgI particles as smoke from aircraft or ground generators.

Dry Ice Seeding:

• Dry ice forms ice crystals as it falls through the cloud, inducing precipitation.
• Requires large quantities and specialized aircraft; less economical.

Silver Iodide Seeding:

• AgI acts as efficient ice nuclei at temperatures below –5°C.
• Requires smaller quantities; can be dispersed over larger areas.

• Large water droplets (25 mm) are sprayed from aircraft to initiate coalescence.

Common Salt Technique:

• Sodium chloride (NaCl) is used as a hygroscopic agent, dispersed as solution or solid.
• Spraying can be done by aircraft, ground generators, or balloon bursts.

• Cloud seeding can enhance precipitation, but effectiveness varies with cloud type and atmospheric conditions.
• Potential risks include environmental concerns and unintended weather impacts.
• Further research is needed to improve reliability and assess long-term effects.

• Plant propagation occurs via sexual (seeds) and asexual (vegetative) methods.
• A seed is a mature, fertilized ovule and the reproductive unit of flowering plants.
• Seeds are essential for crop establishment and genetic diversity.

• Seed rate: Quantity of seed required per unit area for desired plant population.
• Depends on spacing, test weight, and germination percentage.

Seed Rate Formula:

• Seed rate (kg/ha) = [Plant population/ha × Seeds/hill × Test weight (g) × 100] / [1000 × 1000 × Germination %]

• Common sowing methods: Broadcasting, Dibbling, Sowing behind plough, Drill sowing, Transplanting.
• Choice of method depends on crop type, seed size, and field conditions.

• Randomly scattering seeds over the soil surface.

Features:

• Suitable for small to medium seeds (e.g., sesame, sorghum).
• Easy, quick, and labor-saving; commonly used in India.
• Criss-cross sowing improves uniformity.

Disadvantages:

• Uneven seed distribution and depth.
• Higher seed rate required.
• Lower germination and risk of lodging.

• Placing seeds in holes at specific depth and spacing.

Features:

• Used for medium to large seeds (e.g., maize, cotton, sunflower).
• Practiced on ridges, furrows, or beds.
• Facilitates uniform population and better germination.

Advantages:

• Reduced seed rate.
• Enables mechanization (weeding, harvesting).

Disadvantages:

• Costlier and more time-consuming than broadcasting.

• Seeds dropped in furrows opened by plough, then covered by soil.

Features:

• Manual or mechanical methods available.
• Ensures uniform depth and spacing.
• Suitable for crops like groundnut, redgram, cowpea.

• Dropping seeds at definite depth using sowing implements (seed drills).

Features:

• Maintains uniform depth and population.
• Fertilizer application possible during sowing.
• Suitable for intercropping.

Disadvantages:

• Requires more time, energy, and cost.

• Raising seedlings in nursery, then transplanting to main field.

Features:

• Ensures optimum plant population and crop intensification.
• Nursery area is about 1/10th of total field area.

Disadvantages:

• Labor-intensive and expensive.
• Transplanting shock may occur (5–7 days of slow growth).

• Process where radicle emerges from seed, initiating seedling growth.

Key Factors Affecting Germination:

• Soil type, texture, structure, and microorganisms.
• Moisture availability and excess can cause rotting.
• Temperature: Optimum range required for each crop.
• Light: Red light (662 nm) promotes, far-red (730 nm) inhibits germination.
• Soil tilth and sowing depth (3–5 cm for most crops).

• Good crop establishment ensures optimum plant population and yield.
• Plant population: Number of plants per unit area in the field.
• Optimum population maximizes yield per area; excess or deficit reduces yield.

• Plant size: Larger plants need wider spacing (e.g., cotton vs. rice).
• Elasticity: Indeterminate plants tolerate wider population range.
• Foraging area: Early soil cover maximizes sunlight interception.
• Dry matter partitioning: Higher density increases canopy and dry matter.
• Crop and variety: Population varies by crop and variety (e.g., rice, maize, cotton).

• Time of sowing: Weather, day length, and temperature affect population needs.
• Rainfall/irrigation: Lower population under rainfed, higher under irrigated conditions.
• Fertilizer application: High population utilizes nutrients better; low fertility limits yield at high density.
• Seed rate: Higher in broadcasting, lower in line sowing/transplanting.

• Arrangement of plants in rows and columns to optimize resource use.

Types:

• Random: Unequal spacing, common in broadcasting.
• Square: Equal spacing in both directions (e.g., coconut, banana).
• Rectangular: Rows wider than plant spacing; includes solid row, paired row, skip row.
• Triangular: Used for wide-spaced crops (e.g., coconut, mango).

Importance:

• Ensures efficient use of light, water, nutrients, and space.

• Selection of appropriate seed rate and sowing method is crucial for crop establishment.
• Optimum plant population and geometry maximize yield and resource efficiency.
• Understanding genetic and environmental factors aids in effective crop management.

• Agro-ecological zones are land units defined by climate, soil, and physiography.
• They help in understanding the suitability of crops and farming systems.
• Classification aids in regional planning and resource management.

• Zones are delineated based on climate (rainfall, temperature), soil type, and topography.
• Length of growing period (LGP) is a key criterion.
• Physiographic features and water availability are also considered.

• India is divided into 20 major agro-ecological zones by ICAR (NBSS&LUP).
• Zones are further subdivided into sub-zones based on local variations.
• Examples: Western Himalayas, Deccan Plateau, Eastern Coastal Plains.

• Facilitates crop planning and selection of suitable varieties.
• Improves efficiency of resource management (water, soil, nutrients).
• Supports sustainable agriculture and environmental protection.
• Guides policy decisions and research priorities.

• Enables region-specific recommendations for crops and technologies.
• Helps in identifying areas for rainfed and irrigated agriculture.
• Assists in disaster management and climate adaptation strategies.

• Agro-ecological zones are essential for scientific agricultural planning.
• They integrate climate, soil, and physiography for optimal land use.
• Understanding zones enhances productivity and sustainability.

• Papaya is susceptible to various fungal, viral, and post-harvest diseases.
• Diseases affect yield, fruit quality, and marketability.
• Effective management requires accurate diagnosis and integrated approaches.

• Powdery Mildew: Oidium indicum, Oidium caricae, Leveillula taurica
• Leaf Blight: Corynespora cassiicola
• Damping-Off: Pythium aphanidermatum, Rhizoctonia solani
• Foot Rot: Pythium aphanidermatum
• Anthracnose: Colletotrichum gloeosporioides

• Speckled, water-soaked spots on leaf underside.
• Powdery patches enlarge, covering leaves.
• Leaves become chlorotic, distorted, and fall prematurely.

Management:

• Clean cultivation and balanced fertilization (increase K, reduce N).
• Dusting sulfur (30 g/10 L water) at symptom onset.
• Spray Triadimefon (0.1%) or systemic fungicides (Bayleton, carbendazim) at intervals.

• Water-soaked patches at stem base, girdling stem.
• Tissues turn brown/black and rot; terminal leaves yellow and wilt.
• Fruits shrivel and drop; plant may topple and die.
• Roots deteriorate; bark appears dry, honeycomb-like.

Management:

• Use well-drained nursery beds; remove and destroy diseased seedlings.
• Apply Trichoderma viride (15 g/plant) with FYM at planting.
• Seed treatment with captan (4 g/kg) or chlorothalonil (2 g/kg).
• Drench stem base with COC (0.25%), metalaxyl (0.1%), or Bordeaux mixture (1.2%).

• Gray to brown spots with dark margins and yellow halo on leaves.
• Necrotic areas form as spots coalesce.
• Fruits develop light spots that enlarge, become dark brown, and may show concentric rings.
• Premature fruit drop common.

Management:

• Remove and destroy affected fruits.
• Harvest fruits at maturity.
• Spray copper oxychloride (0.3%), carbendazim (0.1%), or thiophanate-methyl (0.1%) every 15 days.
• Hot water or fungicidal wax treatment for export fruits.

• Papaya Mosaic Virus (transmitted by Aphis gossypii)
• Papaya Leaf Curl Virus (transmitted by Bemisia tabaci)
• Papaya Ring Spot Virus (PRSV; transmitted by aphids)

• Mild mosaic pattern and deformation in young leaves.
• Dark green blister-like patches on yellowish-green leaves.
• Leaf vein clearing, downward curling, and shortened petioles.

• Severe curling, crinkling, and deformation of young leaves.
• Vein clearing and thickening; twisted petioles.
• Stunted growth, reduced yield, and possible defoliation.

• Prominent mosaic and chlorosis on leaves.
• Oily streaks on petioles and trunk.
• Distorted young leaves; concentric rings and C-shaped markings on fruits.

• Use disease-free seedlings for planting.
• Rogue and destroy infected plants promptly.
• Control vectors with insecticides (monocrotophos 0.05%, dimethoate 0.2%, metasystox 0.1%).

• Macrophomina Rot: Macrophomina phaseolina
• Rhizopus Rot (Soft Rot): Rhizopus stolonifer
• Phomopsis Rot: Phomopsis caricae
• Anthracnose: Colletotrichum gloeosporioides

• Small water-soaked spots on fruit surface.
• Spots deepen, causing internal rot and sclerotia formation.
• Inner tissues turn brownish-black with dark mycelial growth.

• Irregular water-soaked lesions on injured fruits.
• Lesions covered with whitish fungal growth, turning dark brown.
• Fruit becomes watery, emits foul odor, and infection spreads rapidly.

• Initial water-soaked spots become sunken and dark brown to black.
• Spots may be surrounded by white, raised tissue.
• Infected area becomes soft and pulpy.

• Harvest fruits at proper maturity and during cool hours.
• Dipping fruits in TBZ (1000 ppm) or benomyl (20 ppm) reduces storage decay.
• Dusting fruits with benzoic acid (0.1%) in kaolin reduces rotting.

• Adopt clean cultivation and use disease-free planting material.
• Monitor and manage vectors for viral diseases.
• Apply recommended fungicides and biological agents for fungal diseases.
• Practice proper post-harvest handling to minimize losses.

• Cabbage is susceptible to several economically important fungal diseases.
• Fungal pathogens affect yield and quality.
• Early identification and management are crucial for disease control.
• Integrated approaches are recommended for sustainable management.

• Pathogen: Rhizoctonia solani.
• Symptoms: Stem constriction at base, stunted growth, seedlings may break at ground level.
• Favored by mechanical injury and wet conditions.
• Management: Use certified disease-free transplants, avoid injury, ensure good drainage.

• Pathogen: Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. conglutinans.
• Symptoms: Leaf yellowing, wilting, stunted growth, twisted stems, unilateral midrib curvature.
• Soil-borne and persists for years.
• Management: Grow resistant varieties, crop rotation, use disease-free seed.

• Pathogen: Leptosphaeria maculans (Phoma lingam).
• Symptoms: Light brown stem lesions with purplish margins, black dots (pycnidia), cankering at base.
• Seed and residue-borne.
• Management: Use disease-free seed, hot water seed treatment, crop rotation, sanitation.

• Pathogen: Alternaria brassicae, A. brassicicola.
• Symptoms: Circular brown to black spots with concentric rings and yellow halos.
• Seedborne and airborne spread.
• Management: Remove crop debris, seed treatment, crop rotation, fungicide application.

• Pathogen: Plasmodiophora brassicae (plasmodiophoromycete, not true fungus).
• Symptoms: Root galls, wilting, stunted and yellow leaves, premature bolting.
• Favored by acidic, moist soils.
• Management: Use clean seedbeds, long crop rotations, lime soil to raise pH, resistant varieties.

• Pathogens: Fusarium spp., Pythium spp., Rhizoctonia solani.
• Symptoms: Seedling collapse, wet rot at stem base, missing or wilted seedlings.
• Favored by high moisture and poor drainage.
• Management: Use sterilized soil, raised beds, good drainage, biocontrol agents.

• Pathogen: Hyaloperonospora brassicae (formerly Peronospora parasitica).
• Symptoms: Yellow patches on upper leaf surface, white fluffy growth below, leaf drop, black spots on curds.
• Favored by cool, moist conditions.
• Management: Resistant varieties, crop rotation, debris removal, avoid leaf wetting, fungicides.

• Pathogen: Erysiphe cruciferarum.
• Symptoms: White powdery growth on upper leaf surfaces, reduced vigor.
• Favored by dry, warm conditions.
• Management: Resistant varieties, fungicides, avoid excess nitrogen, reduce drought stress.

• Pathogen: Albugo candida (oomycete, not true fungus).
• Symptoms: White blisters on leaf undersides, yellow patches above, stem distortion, leaf galls.
• Favored by cool, moist weather.
• Management: Resistant varieties, crop rotation, fungicides.

• Pathogen: Mycosphaerella brassicicola.
• Symptoms: Grey leaf lesions with black dots in concentric rings, reduced growth, delayed harvest.
• Spread by seed and debris.
• Management: Hot water seed treatment, fungicides, remove infected plants and debris.

• Pathogens: Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, S. minor.
• Symptoms: Water-soaked lesions, fluffy white mycelium, black sclerotia inside stems.
• Favored by high humidity and dense canopy.
• Management: Improve air circulation, avoid injury, crop rotation, remove infected debris.

• Pathogen: Rhizoctonia solani.
• Symptoms: Tan or brown lesions on outer leaves, rapid head rot.
• Favored by wet, poorly drained soils.
• Management: Raised beds, proper fertilization, maintain plant health.

• Pathogen: Phytophthora megasperma.
• Symptoms: Leaf margin discoloration (red/purple), root and stem rot, plant wilting and death.
• Favored by poorly drained soils.
• Management: Improve drainage, crop rotation, soil treatments, fungicides.

• Use disease-free seed and resistant varieties.
• Practice crop rotation and field sanitation.
• Maintain proper drainage and avoid plant injury.
• Apply fungicides judiciously as needed.
• Monitor regularly for early detection and control.

• Apple (Malus domestica) is the most widely grown temperate fruit globally.
• Native to southwest Asia; major production in India, China, USA, and Europe.
• India’s leading apple-producing states: Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand.
• High nutritional value: rich in vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber.

• Post-harvest losses in apple can reach 20–30% due to improper handling.
• Proper management maintains fruit quality and extends shelf life.
• Reduces economic losses and increases farmer income.
• Essential for meeting export and domestic market standards.

• Harvest at optimum maturity for best flavor and storage life.
• Indicators: fruit color, firmness, seed color, and days from full bloom.
• Harvest carefully to avoid bruising and mechanical injury.
• Use clean, sharp tools and handle fruits gently.

• Precooling removes field heat, slowing down respiration and decay.
• Hydrocooling or forced-air cooling are common methods.
• Sorting removes damaged, diseased, or undersized fruits.
• Improves uniformity and market value.

• Grading based on size, color, and quality standards.
• Standard grades: Extra Fancy, Fancy, Commercial, Culls.
• Packing in ventilated cartons, trays, or mesh bags to prevent damage.
• Use of cushioning materials to reduce bruising during transport.

• Optimal storage: 0–4°C (32–39°F) and 85–95% relative humidity.
• Controlled Atmosphere (CA) storage extends shelf life up to 6–12 months.
• Regular cold storage suitable for short- to medium-term storage.
• Monitor for disorders: scald, core flush, and fungal decay.

• Transport in refrigerated or well-ventilated vehicles to maintain quality.
• Avoid rough handling to minimize mechanical injuries.
• Timely marketing ensures better prices and reduces spoilage.

• Processing into products: juice, cider, jam, jelly, dried slices, vinegar.
• Value addition increases shelf life and market opportunities.
• By-products: apple pomace used for animal feed or pectin extraction.
• Promotes rural employment and entrepreneurship.

• Adopt scientific harvesting, handling, and storage methods.
• Implement grading and packaging standards for quality assurance.
• Promote value addition to reduce losses and increase profitability.
• Continuous training and awareness for growers and handlers.

• Apple is susceptible to various fungal, bacterial, and physiological diseases.
• Major diseases impact yield, fruit quality, and tree longevity.
• Effective management requires understanding pathogen biology and disease cycles.
• Integrated approaches combine cultural, chemical, and genetic methods.

• Caused by Venturia inaequalis (fungus).
• First reported in Sweden (1819); in India, Kashmir valley (1935).
• Most economically important apple disease worldwide.

• Black, circular, velvety spots on upper leaf surface; may coalesce.
• Leaves become twisted, yellow, and may drop prematurely.
• Fruits develop sooty, gray-black lesions, later sunken and tan.
• Infected fruits may crack and become deformed; young fruits may drop.

• Primary inoculum: ascospores from fallen leaves in spring.
• Ascospores dispersed by wind and rain during wet periods.
• Secondary spread: conidia dispersed by wind and rain.

• Sanitation: remove and destroy fallen leaves.
• Use resistant varieties: Emira, Redfree, Ambstraking, Ambroyal, Ambrich, Ambred.
• Fungicide sprays: captan (0.2%), dodine (0.25%) after petal fall.
• Apply difolatan (0.3%) at green bud stage, followed by captan at petal fall.

• Caused by Podosphaera leucotricha (fungus).
• White or grey powdery patches on young leaves, shoots, and fruits.
• Leaves become narrow, curled; twigs covered with powdery mass.
• Fruits remain small, deformed, with roughened surface.

• Overwinters as mycelium in buds; spreads by wind-borne conidia.
• Sanitation: remove infected shoots and plant debris.
• Pre-bloom spray: lime sulphur (1:60); fungicides: dinocap (0.05%).
• Resistant varieties: Maharaja Chunth, Golden Chinese, Yantarka Altaskya, Dolgoe.

• Caused by Erwinia amylovora (bacterium).
• Affects blossoms, shoots, branches, fruits, and rootstock.
• Blossoms become water-soaked, turn brown/black, shrivel.
• Shoots wilt, forming “shepherd’s crook”; leaves blacken along veins.
• Milky, sticky ooze may appear on infected tissues.

• Bacteria overwinter in cankers and woody tissue.
• Spread by insects (bees, flies, ants) and rain splash.
• Prune and destroy infected parts 30 cm below visible symptoms.
• Disinfect tools with 10% sodium hypochlorite after each cut.
• Dormant sprays: copper sulphate or Bordeaux mixture; streptomycin for blossom protection.

• Caused by Agrobacterium tumefaciens (bacterium).
• Galls form on roots and stems near soil line; initially white/flesh-colored, later hard and corky.
• Plants become stunted with chlorotic leaves.

• Use disease-free planting material; avoid wounding roots and stems.
• Crop rotation with cereals or maize.
• Biological control: Agrobacterium radiobacter strain K1026 applied to wounds.
• Penicillin or vancomycin offers partial control.

• Combine cultural, chemical, and genetic resistance strategies.
• Regular monitoring and early detection are essential.
• Sanitation and removal of infected material reduce inoculum.
• Use of resistant varieties minimizes chemical dependence.