Fungal Disease (Pre & Post Harvest): Fruit Freckle / Leaf Freckle

Fungal Disease (Pre & Post Harvest):
Fruit Freckle & Leaf Freckle: 

Symptoms:

Causal organism of this disease is a fungus which has two names, Phyllostictina  musarum and Guignardia musae because the fungus produces two types of spores causing brown to black coloured small and large spots on the leaves and fruits.

These spots can run together to form streaks. Severe infection results in yellowing followed by withering and ultimately death of the leaves.

The most characteristic symptom of both types of spots is a sand paper feel of the leaf and fruit surface. The fungus normally grows on the dead hanging leaves and spreads to fingers during rainy and windy weather.

 

Freckle disease on banana leaf

Freckle disease on banana fruit

Control:

• Removal infected and dried leaves at regular intervals. 
•  Spray at weekly interval once or twice or dip the unripe harvested fruits in 0.05% Bavistin or 0.25% Mancozeb. 
•  Using Polythene bunch cover is found to be effective.

Regards,
A.Vishnu Sankar