Abstract
Tea (<i>Camellia sinensis</i>) is one of the most commonly consumed beverages next to water worldwide. However its production and productivity is constrained by many fungal diseases in Ethiopia. Despite this, there is lack of information on the status of the diseases and lack of knowledge on features of the pathogens associated with the diseases as there have been no any systematic assessments conducted so far. Therefore, the current works were designed with the objectives to assess the distribution of tea diseases and identify the associated pathogens. For this purpose, field surveys were carried out across three tea estate farms (Wushwush, Chewaka and Gumaro) and tea out growers surrounding them in Kafa, Sheka and Ilu Aba Bora zones in Southwest Ethiopia during the 2019 season. Causative pathogens of the diseases were identified using cultural and morphological features. The average Fusarium wilt incidence varied from (0 to 20%), Black rot (7-15%), Bird’s eye spot (4-15%), Brown blight (2-5%) and Grey blight (0.5-5%) while mean disease severity of Black rot, Eye spot, Brown blight and Grey blight ranged from 4-11%, 3-9%, 1-5% and 0.5-5%, respectively. Fusarium wilt, black rot disease and eye spot diseases of tea directly related to tea yield loss. Algal leaf spot disease caused by <i>Cephaleuros virescens</i> was observed at Gumaro tea estate farm on the older leaves of aged tea bushes. The present study revealed the economic importance of tea diseases in Southwest Ethiopia. Future research should be directed towards the investigation and determination of management options for the control of important diseases of tea in the country.
Highlights
Tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze) is one of the most commonly consumed beverages next to water by a wide range of age groups in all levels of society [1]
Fusarium wilt disease of tea caused by Fusarium oxysporum occurred in almost all tea farms rotting the tea roots, while other diseases like Brown blight, Grey blight, Bird’s eye spot, Thread blight (Black rot) and Algal leaf spot caused by Colletotrichum camelliae, Pestalotiopsis theae, Cercospora theae, Corticium koleroga and Cephaleuros virescens, respectively attacked different parts of the coffee plant in the field
It was observed that the tea plantations and gardens at Wushwush, Gumaro, Chewaka areas were mostly affected by Fusarium wilt of tea disease which attacked about 19.75% of total tea bushes assessed
Summary
Tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze) is one of the most commonly consumed beverages next to water by a wide range of age groups in all levels of society [1]. More than three billion cups of tea is consumed every day around the world [2]. It is made from the tender new leaves of the tea plant. In Ethiopia, tea (Assam type) is introduced for the first time in 1927 and grown in Southwest part of a country. Tea Company (private company owning both Wushwush and Gumero tea plantations) in 1989 began the commercial production of tea in the Southwest Ethiopia and thereafter, the tea industry rapidly extended to other parts of the country. Ethiopia produces tea in mono-culture without shade trees in contrast to other countries such as Assam, Ceylon and Indonesia. The crop flourishes best in regions where the annual rainfall is at least 1500 mm with mean air temperature of 18-20°C, average humidity of 70-90% and five hours of sunlight per day [4]
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