Disease Management in Arid Land Crops

Editors

Satish Lodha, Ritu Mawar

and B.S. Rathore

Scientific Publishers (India) P.O. Box 91 Jodhpur

Published by: Pawan Kumar Scientific Publishers (India) 5-A, New Pali Road, P.O. Box 91 Jodhpur – 342 001 E-mail: info@scientificpub.com www.scientificpub.com

© Editors, 2008 Disclaimer: Views expressed in the various articles are those of contributors and not of the Editors. ISBN: 978-81-7233-517-5

Lasertype set : Rajesh Ojha Printed in India

PREFACE

The Indian hot arid zone extends in an area of 0.32 million km2 in

parts of western Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana, Maharastra and Andra Pradesh. Low annual rainfall (200-360 mm) with its frequent erratic distribution, high solar irradiations, high wind velocity, high mean aridity index, scanty ground water resources, soil salinity and alkanity are some of the characteristic features, which have made crop production a challenging problem for desert dwellers.

In spite of hostile conditions, desert inhabitants have tested many crops for the last many centuries to sustain livelihood. During this exercise, they have identified specific crops, which can be cultivated under the harsh climate of this region with the scarce water received through rainfall or available through deep under ground water. Certain time tested land races were evolved, which can produce seed as well as fodder for the livestock maintained by the farmers as an alternative means of livelihood security. With the inception of IGNP and exploitation of groundwater resources in the region some other high value crops are also now cultivated with assured irrigation.

A common man residing in far distant states may often carries a picture of witnessing only sand dunes and waste lands in arid region but on visit he may find entirely a different scenario where no doubt dry barren fields with sparse vegetation are seen at one place while lush green fields of wheat, cumin, ground nut and yellow flower laden mustard can also be a common site. Like other agro-climatic zones of India, crops in this region also suffers enormously due to vagaries of plant diseases some of which are specific to the region. Certain agro climatic conditions favors occurrence and development of these diseases, which often takes a serous form resulting in heavy crop losses. Instances are there when growers have abandoned cultivation of cumin, a cash crop, which suffered heavily due to wilt and shifted to less remunerative or more irrigation requiring crops. Even several folk songs depict the plight of cumin growers. Similarly, concurrent soil moisture and heat stress favor survival and multiplication of soil-borne pathogens that causes root rots in many legumes, oilseeds and trees.

iv Disease Management in Arid Land Crops

As arid lands are brought under irrigation, several newer or hitherto unimportant diseases have also became serious. Increased area under groundnut in recent years resulted in serious occurrence of collar rot caused by Aspergillus niger. With the burgeoning population pressure, arid region is now confronted with producing more grain and fodder per unit of land. Besides cultivation of drought hardy varieties of crops under improved agronomic practices, management of plant diseases is yet another area, which can accept this challenge to maximize productivity of arid lands.

In the present compendium, contributions were invited from experienced research workers working in specialized Institutes. An effort has been made to provide information on the occurrence of major diseases on principal cereals, legumes, oilseeds, spices, horticultural crops, trees, medicinal plants, etc, on factors influencing their development and practical remedial measures to reduce crop losses. It is expected that this compendium will serve as a handbook for research workers, teachers, postgraduate students, extension personnel, other development workers and policy planners engaged in the arid zone development.

Satish Lodha

Ritu Mawar BS Rathore

CONTRIBUTORS

Satish Lodha Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur - 342 003, India

R. P. Thakur International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Patancheru - 502 324, India

T.G. Nageshwar Rao National Research Centre for Sorghum, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad- 500 030, India

M. P. Ghewande National Research Centre for Groundnut, Ivnagar Road, P.O. Box 5, Junagarh – 362 001, India

Vinod Kumar National Research Centre for Groundnut, Ivnagar Road, P.O. Box 5, Junagarh– 362 001, India

Asha Shivpuri Agricultural Research Station (Rajasthan Agricultural University) Durgapura- Jaipur - 302 018, India

T. S. Rajpurohit Agricultural Research Station (Rajasthan Agricultural University) Mandor – Jodhpur - 342 304, India

R. P. Ghasolia Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Jaisalmer, India

R.N.Pande BA College of Agriculture, Anand Agricultural University, Anand- 388 110, India

vi Disease Management in Arid Land Crops

R.S Champawat Agricultural Research Station (Rajasthan Agricultural University) Durgapura- Jaipur - 302 018, India,

Vijeta Singh Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur - 342 003, India

B S Rathore Agricultural Research Station (Rajasthan Agricultural University) Mandor – Jodhpur - 342 304, India

P. Nallathmbi Central Institute for Arid Horticulture, Bikaner - 334 006, India.

C. Umamaheswari Central Institute for Arid Horticulture, Bikaner - 334 006, India.

K.K. Srivastava

Arid Forest Research Institute, Jodhpur - 342 005, India. Neelam Verma

Arid Forest Research Institute, Jodhpur-342 005, India. Rajendra Kumar

Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur - 342 003, India.

K. Mondal National Research Centre on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Boriavi, Anand - 388 110, India.

Kavita Gupta Division of Plant Quarantine, National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi - 110 012, India.

R K Khetarpal Division of Plant Quarantine, National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi - 110 012, India.

Ritu Mawar Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur - 342 003, India.

CONTENTS

Preface

Contributors

1. Why our crops are sick ? — Satish Lodha 1

2. Pearl millet — R.P. Thakur 21

3. Sorghum — T.G. Nageshwar Rao 43

4. Oilseeds – Groundnut and Castor — M.P. Ghewande and Vinod Kumar 81

5. Oilseeds – Mustard and Sesame — Asha Shivpuri, T.S. Rajpurohit and R.P. Ghasolia 99

6. Legumes — R.N. Pande 133

7. Seed Spices — R.S Champawat and Vijeta Singh 197

8. Spices — B.S. Rathore 233

9. Horticultural Crops — P. Nallathmbi and C. Umamaheswari 267

10. Trees — K.K. Srivastava and Neelam Verma 311

viii Disease Management in Arid Land Crops

11. Medicinal Plants — B.S. Rathore, Rajendra Kumar and K. Mondal 335

12. Plant Quarantine and SPS Issues for Trade — Kavita Gupta and R.K. Khetarpal 353

13. Yes ! Our sick crops can be cured eco-friendly — Ritu Mawar and Satish Lodha 379

Plate 1: Major predisposing factors for the development of bacterial blight on clusterbean

Plate 2: Symptoms of different diseases of Pearl millet

A. Downy mildew symptoms on foliage (left) and panicle (right)

B. Ergot symptoms honey dew (left) sclerotia (right)

C. Smut symptoms green-black smut sori

D. Rust symptoms on foliage

Plate 3: Grain mold of Sorghum

A. Symptoms of grain mold B. Symptoms of grain mold

C. Grain mold assessment scale

D. Screening for grain mold resistance using raised sprinklers

Plate 4: Sorghum Downy Mildew

A. Downy mildew Sporangial infection

B. Downy mildew chlorotic stripe stage

C. Leaf shredding due to downy mildew

D. Leaf shredding due to downy mildew

A. Sooty stripe B. Leaf spot symptoms of anthracnose

C.Anthracnose Mid rib infection D. Anthracnose symptoms on nodes.

Plate 5: Foliar diseases of sorghum

Plate 6: Smuts of Sorghum

A. Grain smut B. Head smut

D. Loose smutC. Long smut

Plate 7: Symptoms of die back, wilt and leaf curl on Chillies

A. Die back

B. Wilt

C. Leaf curl

Plate 8: Suggested Crop Rotations for rainy and winter seasons to reduce incidence of dry root rot (Guar), downy mildew

(Pearl millet) and wilt (Cumin)

Guar

Wheat

pearl millet

Pearl millet

Mustard Cumin