The Gazetteers Department

IN addition to the damage done by pests, the crops suffer from various plant diseases. The belowmentioned are the important diseases of crops in the Sangli district.

Of jowar.

Smuts of jowar (Kani or Dane kani).—Grain, loose, head and long, these arc the four types of smuts of jowar. The disease cannot be recognised until the earhead comes out. The affected ovaries turn into conical porcelain white sori which contain black powder. The disease causes damage to both rabi and kharif crops. Seed treatment with sulphur (300 mesh fine) at the rate of 100 gms, per 30 kg. of seed controls the disease effectively. Systematic collection of affected earheads in case of head and long smuts helps in controlling the disease.

Leaf rust of jowar (Tambera).—On the diseased plant reddish brown pustules break on leaves and let out red mass of uredos. pores which later turn into black. The disease is prevalent during the growth of the crop. Use of resistant varieties is the only effective way of controlling the disease.

Of Paddy.

Paddy blast (Karpa).—The disease first manifests on leaves as small spindle shaped brown spots with white centres on seedlings and ultimately reduce the yield of grains. The disease affects seedlings during July and August, while the grown up crop is affected from September to November. The disease can be controlled as follows: —

(i) seed treatment with organo mercurial seed dresser containing 1 per cent organic mercury at the rate of 110 gms. for 50 kg. of seeds.

(ii) Dipping of seedlings in bordeaux mixture 3:3:50 before transplanting.

Of Bajri.

Ergot.—The ergotoxin is proved to be dangerous to both cattle and human beings if consumed. Sugary secretions are noticed oozing out from the affected flowers in the earhead followed by dark elongated sclerotial bodies in place of grains. The disease is prevalent during September and November.

The controlling measures are—(1) Dipping the grains in 20 per cent salt solution, skiming off sclerotial bodies and burning them and washing the grains with water 2—3 times to remove the traces of salt. The grain could then be used for seed and food purposes.

Downy mildew of Bajri, Green ear (gosavi).—In the early stage infected plants look pale and in advanced stage earheads get transformed into green leaves popularly called 'gosavi'. This disease is prevalent from July to September. It can be controlled by systematic roguing in early stages and by flooding before sowing.

Of Wheat.

Black Stem rust (Tambera).—The disease appears as reddish brown elongated linear eruptive spots known as pustules mostly on the stem and also on leaves. Later on the reddish brown pustules turn into black pustules. The disease is prevalent from November to February. The disease can be carried by wind. Resistant varieties such as kenphad 25, MHD 345 should be used.

Loose smut (kani or kajali).—The disease becomes manifest only when earheads are formed as black car. It is prevalent from January to March. Infection being inside the seed, a special method has been evolved to control the disease. The seed is soaked in cold wafer from 8 to 12 a.m. during the first fortnight of May and then spread on galvanised iron sheets in hot sun for 4 hours and stirred periodically. Subsequently the seed is dried in shed and then stored in gunny bag, with insecticides, viz., pyrethrum, DDT. and BHC.

Of Tur.

Tur Wilt (Ubhal or Mar).—The affected plant appears sickly. The leaves drop down and the affected plants wither and die. The disease is sporadic and can he controlled by using resistant varieties.

Of Groundnut.

Tikka.— The first sign of the disease is the appearance of round purplish brown spots on one to one and half months old plants. Later on the spots expand in size and become blackish in colour and are surrounded by bright yellow halo when mature. The disease can be controlled by spraying 5:5:50 bordeaux mixture or copper fungicide containing 50 per cent metallic copper. The spraying may be done in July, August, and September.

Of Cotton.

Anthraawse (Kawadi).—The disease appears on seedling stage during the months of June.July and on bolls.forming stage in the months of October and November. The disease can be controlled by treating the seed with organic mercury at the rate of 60 gms. for 8 kg. of seed. The affected debris should be destroyed.

Black arm (Tikkya or Karpa).—Mature bolls when attacked open prematurely and the lint from such bolls gets yellow strains. The American cottons are highly susceptible. The dry cotton is affected by the disease from July to December while the irrigated cotton suffers from July to March. The controlling measures are: —

(1) The seed is heated with organo mercurial compound containing 1 per cent organic mercury at the rate of 60 gms. for 16 kg. of seed, and (2) Bordeaux mixture 3:3:50 is sprayed first in June and secondly in September.

Of Turmeric.

Leaf blotch (haladivaril Tikkya).—Numerous pale yellow spots appear on both the surfaces of leaves. These spots later on turn golden yello.v and finally brownish slightly raised blotchy spots which are mostly rectangular and measuring 2 mm. in width. The disease is prevalent from the middle of September to February end. The disease can be controlled by spraying bordeaux mixture 3:3:50 at the rate of 454.600 litres (100 gallons) per acre.

Of Mango.

Powdery mildew of mango (Ambyavaril Bhuri).—The whitish coating which appears on the inflorescence later on turns black. The coating chiefly consists of spores and mycelium of the fungus. The disease prevails from January to February end, and can be controlled by dusting the trees with sulphur (200 mesh) plus D.D.T. (4:1) when they blossom.

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