An overview of bacterial blight disease: A serious threat to pomegranate production

Abstract

Bacterial blight of pomegranate is among the most devastating natural calamity that inflicted huge losses to pomegranate crop productivity especially in India during the last 24 years. The dilemma of bacterial blight is still under discussion among the researchers since its appearance in 1952. Symptoms of the disease manifested as numerous, small, segregated, depressed, discoloured and typically water-soaked spots. The epidemiology of the disease remains prevalent in mild to moderate form throughout the year at higher temperature ranged between 20.0–43.0° C during April-July and become severe under highly humid conditions (>80%) and moderate temperature (25–35° C) during rainy season. None of the genotypes exhibited resistant against bacterial blight. Some genotypes found moderately susceptible against bacterial blight of pomegranate. Management of the disease is only by various chemicals.