Alphonso mangoes, like any other crop, are susceptible to various diseases that can affect their growth, fruit quality, and overall yield. Here are some common diseases of Alphonso mangoes and their potential solutions:
Diseases:
Anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides):
Symptoms: Dark brown or black lesions on leaves, stems, and fruits. Infected fruits may develop sunken spots and rot.
Solution:
Cultural Practices: Ensure proper spacing between trees for good air circulation. Prune and remove infected plant parts promptly. Avoid overhead irrigation to minimize leaf wetness.
Chemical Control: Apply fungicides (like Mancozeb, Copper-based fungicides) during flowering and fruiting stages as per recommended dosage and timings.
Powdery Mildew (Oidium mangiferae):
Symptoms: White powdery growth on leaves, shoots, and flowers. Infected leaves may become distorted or yellow and eventually drop.
Solution:
Cultural Practices: Prune overcrowded branches to improve air circulation. Plant resistant varieties if available. Avoid overhead irrigation.
Chemical Control: Apply sulfur-based fungicides or other recommended fungicides at the first sign of disease and continue as needed according to label instructions.
Bacterial Black Spot (Xanthomonas campestris pv. mangiferaeindicae):
Symptoms: Small black spots with yellow halos on leaves, stems, and fruits. Infected fruits may have sunken lesions and drop prematurely.
Solution:
Cultural Practices: Prune infected branches and remove fallen leaves and fruits to reduce inoculum. Avoid overhead irrigation and water in a manner that keeps foliage dry.
Chemical Control: Copper-based bactericides can be applied preventatively or at the first signs of disease outbreak. Rotate with other effective bactericides to reduce resistance development.
Fruit Rot (Various fungi):
Symptoms: Fruit rot can be caused by several fungi, resulting in fruit decay, discoloration, and loss of marketable quality.
Solution:
Cultural Practices: Harvest fruits at the right maturity stage and handle them carefully to avoid bruising and wounds that can facilitate fungal infections.
Post-harvest Treatment: Treat harvested fruits with hot water (50°C for 5-10 minutes) or fungicidal dips to reduce post-harvest infections.
General Preventive Measures:
Sanitation: Keep the orchard clean by removing fallen leaves, fruits, and prunings regularly to reduce disease inoculum.
Crop Rotation: Avoid planting mangoes in the same location consecutively to reduce disease buildup in the soil.
Resistant Varieties: Where available, choose mango varieties known to have some resistance to common diseases.
Monitoring and Early Detection: Regularly inspect trees for symptoms of diseases and take prompt action if detected.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM):
Implementing an IPM approach that includes cultural, biological, and chemical control measures can effectively manage diseases while minimizing environmental impacts and pesticide resistance.
By adopting these preventive measures and timely management practices, mango growers can minimize the impact of diseases on Alphonso mango crops, ensuring healthier trees, better yields, and higher quality fruits. Regular monitoring and adherence to good agricultural practices are crucial for sustainable mango cultivation.
