Major diseases of field and horticultural crops in Northern Bihar region of India

Abstract

A survey was conducted to determine the status of major diseases of field and horticultural crops grown in Saharsa, Supaul, Madhepura and Khagaria districts of northern Bihar, India. Three blocks in each district and three villages in each block were surveyed through a random field survey method. Per cent disease incidence was recorded on randomly selected plants in a particular field of selected location. The incidence of diseases was observed on the basis of typical field symptoms and later the association was confirmed through microscopic examinations in the laboratory. In view of maximum diseases incidence; foliar blight of wheat, sheath blight of rice, turcicum leaf blight of maize, mungbean yellow mosaic virus, Alternaria blight of mustard were recorded with >50% incidence in these districts. However, dry root rot and wilt of chickpea and lentil, wilt of pigeonpea, powdery mildew of pea, Alternaria leaf spot of linseed, Fusarium wilt and red rot of sugarcane and root rot of jute were noticed with 10 to 50% incidence. In fruit crops; sigatoka disease of banana was noticed with >50% incidence, while, anthracnose/ die back and floral malformation of mango, wilt of banana, foot rot of papaya and anthracnose of guava and citrus canker were observed with 10-50% incidence. Diseases viz., late blight, bacterial wilt, black leaf spot/ rot, leaf curl, yellow vein mosaic virus, die back and late blight were recorded with >50% incidence in tomato, brinjal, cauliflower, cucurbits, okra, chilli and potato, respectively. The purple blotch of onion, black leaf rot of cabbage and collar rot of elephant foot yam were noticed with 10-50% incidences.