What is Dieback?
Dieback is a fungal infection responsible for causing wilting and browning of leaves from the tip of the branch, stem canker and fruit rot.
Causal organism- Botryodiplodia theobromae
Symptoms-
- The initial symptom appears on the bark wherein it becomes discoloured and dark.
- Later the young green twigs start withering at the base and it moves towards veins of leaf edges.
- Infected leaves turn brown with their margins rolling upwards.
- The infected twigs show internal discolouration when split open.
- Infected twigs or branches shrivel due to necrosis and fall down, there may be exudation of gum from affected branches which may then attacked by shoot borers causing internal discolouration of the twigs.
Mode of spread-
It spread through soil and air.
Management-
| Cultural Method | Chemical Control |
| Proper sanitation of the orchard should be maintained.Any infected portion should immediately be pruned, followed by spraying/ pasting of copper oxychloride or pasting with cow dung at the cut ends. | Pruning of infected twigs followed by spraying-Thiophanate methyl 70 % WP @2g/litre.Chlorothalonil 75% WP @2g/litre. |
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