The Gazetteers Department

In addition to the damage done by pests, the crops suffer from various diseases. Given below is a brief description of each of the important plant diseases.

Of Cereals.

Kani.

Kani, Ziprya and lamb kani, the smut diseases (Spacelotheca sorghi; Sorosporium rellianum; and Tolyposporium ehrenbergi). These diseases are responsible for extensive damage to jowar, kani being the most destructive, the cultivators have at times to incur heavy losses, if timely measures are not taken. Kani also attacks bajri. However, the treatment of 200-300 mesh-fine sulphur at the rate of one tola per seer of seed controls the disease satisfactorily.

Kajli.

Kajli, the loose smut of wheat (Ustilago tritici), is responsible for heavy damage. It can be effectively controlled by solar heat treatment of the seed. The seed is steeped in cold water for 4-5 hours and then spread on a galvanised iron sheet which is kept in the sun, particularly on a hot day, for about 3 to 4 hours.

Kevda

Kevda, the downy mildew of cereals (Sclerospora sorghi, craminicola) generally occurs both in jowar and bajri, though the extent of damage is not considerable.

Ergot has recently become a serious disease in this district. The grain and cars of bajri, when attacked by this disease, become poisonous and are. therefore, not suitable for consumption by human beings as well as by cattle. The grain can, however, be made edible by steeping the affected grain in 20 per cent salt solution and then by washing it three or more times in water. The seed should be dried thoroughly.

Tambera.

Tambera, stem rust (Puccinia graminis tritici) is by far the most destructive disease of wheat and causes serious losses annually. The disease harbours on summer and kharip wheat which provides the main source of infection to the rabi crop. Development of resistant varieties offers the best method of control. Growing of Kenphad wheat, which is resistant to stem rust, is recommended for this region.

Of Gram.

Mar.

Mar, the wilt of gram (Fusarium oxysporum f. ciceri) causes extensive damage to the crop and is not amenable to any direct control measures. So far, the only remedy for this disease has been to uproot the affected plants and burn them or to grow resistant varieties such as Nagpur-352 and Dohad yellow.

Of Chillies.

Pan-valne or murda.

Pan-value or murda, the leaf-curl of chillies, is a very serious disease. leading to considerable loss to cultivators almost every vear. ft is of a virus origin and can be controlled by spraying Folidol. In the seedling stage, spraying of Folidol E605 (0.003 per cent concentration) at weekly intervals is found useful. If the disease occurs after transplanting. Folidol E605 (0.003 per cent concentration) should be sprayed during the first month at fifteen days interval. Subsequently, spraying with Folidol E605 (0.002 per cent concentration) at the same interval should be continued. Spraying should, however, be discontinued two weeks before harvest. As Folidol is deadly poisonous, the fruit should be washed well before marketing.

Of Fruits and Vegetables.

Bhuri.

Bhuri, the powdery mildew on cucurbits, occurs on a large scale, though it can be controlled by dusting sulphur.

Kevda.

Kevda, the yellow vein mosaic of bhendi, is a virus disease and affects both the rabi and kharip crops. It is a highly infectious disease and causes a colossal damage to the crop. The disease is transmitted by white flies and can be effectively controlled by systematic roguing and destruction of all the affected plants in the season. Breeding disease-resistant types of bhendi, however, appears to be the only reliable method of controlling this disease.

Mar.

Mar, the wilt of brinjals (Verticillium dahlias), affects brinjal cultivation in several parts of the district. No effective control measure is known as vet except to grow disease-resistant varieties.

Tikka.

Tikka, the leaf-spot of brinjal (Cercospora sp.), is another disease by which brinjal cultivation in the district is affected. It can, however, be controlled by spraying Bordeaux mixture in the proportion 3:3:50.

Pane-valne.

Pan-valne, the leaf-curl of tomato, is a serious virus disease. It is transmitted by white flies. No control measures are known as yet.

Kobi Kujne.

Kobi kujne, the black-rot (Xanthomonas campestris), is a serious disease of cabbage, cauliflower and knolkhol. It can, however, be effectively controlled by treating the seed in mercuric chloride 1: 1,000 for 30 minutes and subsequently washing the seed in cold water so as to remove all traces of corrosive sublimate.

Bhuri.

Bhuri, the powdery mildew of coriander, affects all the green parts of the plant. One dusting of sulphur at the time of flowering at the rate of 20—25 lbs. per acre is sufficient to control the disease.

Mar.

Mar, the Panama disease of banana (Fusarium oxysporum), is a serious disease of banana, the son variety being very susceptible. The occurrence of the disease can be avoided by the cultivation of the basarai variety which is resistant to wilt.

Kevda.

Kevda, the chlorosis of banana, is caused by a virus. Affected plants remain stunted and show a somewhat bushy appearance. Severely affected plants fail to yield fruits, while in other cases, the fruit is of a poor quality. The disease is transmitted by aphids. Its occurrence can be controlled by burning all the affected plants in the garden and by planting disease-free suckers.

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