In Turmeric, leaf spot and leaf blotch are the most significant common diseases. They affect the crop in its fast producing period and causes yield damages upto 60%.
Leaf Blotch (Taphrina maculens)
Nature:
This fungus produces brownish yellow spots on both surfaces of the leaf, though the upper surface has more of them. Although the plants are not killed, leaves gradually wither and lead to a heavy reduction in yields.
Control:
Bordeaux mixture (5:5:50) or any non metallic fungicides
Spray Carbandazim (1g/lt) or Mancozeb (2.5g/lit)
Sandovit 3 4 times
Soft rot or rhizome rot (Phythium graminicolum)
Nature:
Beginning from the margins the leaves get dried up, collar area of pseudostem develops soft and water-soaked and plants collapse. The rhizomes rot as a outcome of the attack of the fungus.
Control:
– Raise beds and sow healthy rhizomes
– Bordeaux mixture (5:5:50)
– Healthy turmeric seed rhizomes dipped in hexacap (captan) 0.2 % and brassical (quintazene) 0.5% lowers incidence and germination was markedly enhanced
– Drench soil with Mancozeb (2.5g/l) solution
Leaf spot Anthracnose (Collectotrichum capici)
Nature:
Irregular spots are present on the plant and concentric circles appear on the leaves.
Control:
– Bordeaux mixture (5:5:50)
– Spray Dithane M-45 @ 3g/l of water or Bavastin @ 1g/l
Nematodes (Meloidogyne incognita)
Nature:
This common diseases leaves the plants stunted in growth. Leaves turn yellow and there is a marginal tip drying of leaves. This can also lead to rotting of the roots. Plants die prematurely and leave a poor crop harvest. Infested rhizomes lose their bright colour.
Radopholus similies
Nature
The infected plants age and dry faster than healthy plants. The infested rhizomes are a yolk-yellow in colour and give out a shallow, water soaked appearance on the surface. Roots rot and most of the decayed roots are devoid of cortex and stylar portions.
Control:
Thimet @ 10-15 kg/ha or Phorate 10kg/ha at the time of field preparation or
Aldicarb and Carbofuran (1-3 kg a.i/ha), 3 weeks after planting controls infestation