POMEGRANATE INSECT PESTS AND DISEASES author:- swaroopa.v

pomegranate insect pests

Article by:- swaroopa.v

Anar butterfly/ Pomegranate fruit borer:-

scientific name:-Virachola isocrates,Deudorix isocrates

Family:-Lycaenidae

order:-Lepidoptera

Damage symptoms:-

👉Caterpillar bores into young fruits.

👉Feeds on internal contents (pulp and seeds).

👉Fruit rotting and dropping may occur.

Fruit sucking Moth:-

Scientific Name:-Othreis fullonica, Othreis materna

Family:-Noctuidae

Order:-Lepidoptera

Damage symptoms:-

👉A circular pinhole like spot appears at the feeding site.

👉Later on, the area around the damaged portion turns yellowish-brown.

👉 The punctured fruits are easily infected with bacteria and fungi. As a result, the fruit rot and falls prematurely. 

Diseases:-

1.Bacterial leaf and 

fruit spot :-

Disease symptoms:-

👉 appearance of one to several small water soaked,dark coloured irregular spots on leaves resulting in premature defoliation under severe cases.

👉 The pathogen also infects stem and branches causing girdling and cracking symptoms.

👉 spots on fruits were dark brown irregular slightly raised with oily appearance, which split open with L-shaped cracks under severe cases.

      Fig: initial symptoms on leaves.

    

       Fig:symptoms on fruits.

Survival and spread:-

👉 primary source of inoculum is infected cuttings.

👉 secondary source of inoculum spreads through wind splashed rains .

Favourable conditions:-

👉The increase in day temperature (38.6°C) and afternoon relative humidity of 30.4% along with cloudy weather and intermittent rainfall

favoured the disease initiation and further spread of the disease.

2.Leaf and fruit spot:-

Disease symptoms:-

👉 Leaf spots are minute, brown with yellow halo.

👉spots are scattered, circular or irregular and become dark brown with age.

👉 spots on lower side are sunken with clusters of spore bearing structures hence greyish in colour.

👉 fruit spots are black,minute and circular on rind.

Fig.Disease symptoms on leaves and fruit.

Survival and spread:-

👉 primary spread : Diseased plant debris.

👉 secondary spread : wind borne conidia.

Favourable conditions:-

👉 optimum temperature is 25-32°C with night temperatures

above 16°C,and a relative humidity of 90-95%.

3.Anthracnose:-

Disease symptoms:-

👉 small, regular to irregular black spots on leaves,calyx region and fruits which turn later on as dark brown depressed spots.

👉 Infected leaves turn yellow and drop off.

      Fig. Brown spots on leaves

          fig. Dark brown depressed spots on fruits.

Survival and spread:-

👉primary source of inoculum : infected leaves.

👉secondary source of inoculum:-windborne conidia.

 Favourable conditions:-

👉 The disease is severe during August-september when there is high humidity,and the temperature between 20-27°C.

4.Fusarium wilt:-

Disease symptoms :-

👉affected plants show yellowing of leaves in some twigs or branches,followed by dropping and drying of leaves.

👉 The entire tree dies in few months or a year.

👉 when affected tree is cut open lengthwise or cross-section dark greyish-brown discolouration of wood is seen.

Survival and spread:-

👉primary source of inoculum: soil,chlamydospores.

👉 secondary source of inoculum:conidia,water.

👉 disease is more in heavy soil and increases with soil moisture.

Favourable conditions:-

👉 Relatively high soil moisture and soil temperature.