RED GRAM :: MAJOR DISEASE :: WILT

Wilt - Fusarium udum
Symptoms
The disease may appear from early stages of plant growth (4-6 week old plant) up to flowering and podding. The disease appears as gradual withering and drying of plants. Yellowing of leaves and blackening of stem starting from collar to branches which gradually result in drooping and premature drying of leaves, stems, branches and finally death of plant. Vascular tissues exhibit brown discoloration. Often only one side of the stem and root system is affected resulting in partial wilting.
Pathogen
The fungus produces hyaline, septate mycelium. Microconidia are hyaline, small, elliptical or curved, single celled or two celled. Macroconidia are also hyaline, thin walled, linear, curved or fusoid, pointed at both ends with 3-4 septa. The fungus also poduce thick walled, spherical or oval, terminal or intercalary chlamydospores singly or in chains of 2 to 3.
Favourable conditions

• Soil temperature of 17-25˚C.
• Continuous cultivation of redgram in the same field.

Disease cycle
The fungus survives in the infected stubbles in the field. The primary spread is by soil-borne chlamydospores and also by infected seed. Chlamydospores remain viable in soil for 8-20 years. The secondary spread in the field is through irrigation water and implements.
Management

• Treat the seeds with Trichoderma viride at 4 g/kg (106cfu/g).
• Avoid successive cultivation of red gram in the same field.
• Crop rotation with tobacco.
• Mixed cropping with sorghum in the field.
• Grow resistant cultivars like Sharad, Jawahar, Maruthi, Malviya Arhar-2, C-11, Pusa-9, Narendra Arhar-1 and Birsa Arhar-1