The Gazetteers Department

Besides the damage done by the pests, the crops in the district also suffer from various plant diseases. The following are the important diseases of crops in the district:—

Grain smut (kani): The disease cannot be recognised until the earhead comes out. The affected earheads do not form normal grains but form sacs in place of grains. The affected ovaries turn into conical porcelain white sori which contain black powder. This black powder consists of millions of spores of the fungus. The disease occurs from September to November and affects the kharif jowar. The disease also affects the rabi jowar from December to February. Its source of infection is the threshing yard. It can be controlled by treating the seed with sulphur (200—300 mesh fine) at the rate of 4 ozs. to 60 lbs. of seed.

Loose smut (Kajali): The symptoms of the disease are nearly the same as those of grain smut of jowar with the difference that in case of loose smut, wall of sorus gets ruptured and black mass of powder is exposed, giving blackish appearance to the affected earhead. The disease affects kharif jowar from September to November and rabi jowar from December to February. Its source of infection is the threshing yard where the diseased and healthy earheads get mixed up. The disease can be controlled in the same way as the grain smut of jowar.

Sugary disease (chikta): Sugary secretions are noticed oozing out from the affected ovaries. These oozings drop on the leaves which are sticky to the touch. The aphids spread the disease. They can be controlled by using insecticides.

Rust (tambera or haldhya or gerwa): The disease appears as reddish brown elongated linear eruptive spots known as pustules mostly on stems and also on leaves. The disease is prevalent from November to February. The best way to avoid the ocurrence of the disease is to grow resistant varieties viz., Kenphad-25, MHD-345, KCN and Hy-65 for irrigated crop.

Loose smut (kani, kajali): Loose blackish powder is formed in place of grains, which consists of the spores of the fungus. The infection being inside the seed, dressing with fungicides is ineffective and hence the following treatment has been evolved.

Soak the seed in cold water from 8 to 12 in the morning during the first fortnight of May, then spread the seeds on galvanised iron sheets in hot sun for four hours and stir the seeds periodically. Subsequently, dry the seed in the shade. After drying, store the seed in gunny bags and dust the gunny bag with insecticides, viz pyrethrum, D.D.T., and BHC.

Groundnut

Tikka: The disease usually appears on crops when they are 1½ months' old. Conspicuous round purplish-brown spots, which later on increase in size and become blackish, are seen on the leaves. A yellow halo is also found round the spot The disease is prevalent from July to September. The disease can be controlled by spraying the crop in the 3rd week of July with 5:5:50 bordeaux mixture or any copper fungicide containing 50 per cent metallic copper. If required, a second spraying in the month of August and a third one in the third week of September may be given. Dusting with 200 to 300 mesh sulphur at the rate of 15 to 20 lbs. per acre also controls the disease.

Cotton

Anthracnose (kawadi): The disease affects the crop at the seedling stage and also at the boll forming stage. It causes boll rot resulting in the development of short, immature, weak and discoloured lint. The disease can be controlled by treating the seed with organo mercurial compound containing 1 per cent organic mercury, at the rate of 2 ozs. for 15 lbs. of seed.

Fruits

Powdery mildew (bhuri): Whitish patches appear on both the sides of the leaves. The affected blossoms fail to set in fruit. The disease can be controlled by dusting sulphur (200 to 300 mesh) in the third week of November, December and January.

Downy mildew (kevada): Yellow oily spots appear on the upper surface of leaves, and simultaneously on the back side, there is downy growth. Due to the early attack, the blossoms get blighted and berries drop down exhibiting mummified condition. The disease can be controlled by spraying bordeaux mixture 5:5:50 in the third week of May and October and in the 1st week of July and November.