Fungal Disease (Pre & Post Harvest): Pitting Disease

Fungal Disease (Pre & Post Harvest) – Pitting Disease:

Symptoms:

The disease is caused by Pyricularia grisea and this is characterized by round, sunken pits of approximately 4 – 6 mm in diameter on the fruits after harvest or as the fruit reaches maturity. The sunken centre is surrounded by a reddish brown zone with a greenish, narrow, water soaked halo. Smaller pits occur on the finger stalks and crown pads which can lead to finger drop. Although the pit centres sometimes split, the damage is confined to the peel and does not extend to the pulp.

Symptoms are identical with those of ‘Johnston fruit-spot’ disease and are rarely seen in the field until 70 days after bunch emergence. . The extent of pitting may increase considerably while fruit is in transit and during ripening causing serious losses in the quality of fruits.

The main sources of inoculam for pitting disease are conidia produced on hanging banana leaf trash. Conidia are most abundant during rainy season and are wind dispersed onto the fruits. The fruit on the side of the bunch facing away from the pseudostem is more severely affected than fruit facing towards the pseudostem.

Pitting disease in banana fruit

Control: 

•  Regularly remove dried and decaying leaves hanging around the pseudostem. 
• Using Polythene bunch cover is found to be effective. 
•  Spray affected unripe fruit bunches or dip harvested hands with  Bavistin @ 1 gm / 1 litre at 15 days interval.

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Posted in: 52. Fungal Disease – Pitting Disease

Tissue Culture Banana Plants in Jiffy pots / bags / pellets

‘Jiffy’ is a planting pot (jiffypot.com) made from compressed peat packed in desirable sizes of biodegradable net materials for aeration of roots that would guarantee optimum growth without transplant shock. They are available as hard pressed handy pellets and by just adding water grows up to 7 times the size in a few moments. The growing medium are bio-based materials such as peat, coir, pulp and other bio-mass and plant starches that are fully sterilized and devoid of harmful pathogens and Nematodes.

Advantages of using plants grown in ‘Jiffy’ grow bags / pots / pellets:

Description	Plant in black Poly-bag	Plant in Jiffy pot / bag
Nature of nursery bags	Recycled black colour polythene bags. Environmental hazard as they are discorded in the field itself.	‘Jiffy’ is an imported grow-bag. The net like bag holding the root zone of the plant is of biodegradable material.  Environmental friendly.
Growing medium	Contains soil normally infected with harmful pathogens and Nematodes.	Sterilized bio-based materials without harmful pathogens and Nematodes.
Planting	Have to remove the bag before planting.   Increased labour cost. Damage to roots. Transport shock	No need to remove the net like bag. Can be planted as  such. Saving in labour cost.  No damage to roots. No Transport transport shock
Root system	Normal root growth.  Normal establishment in soil.	More roots than soil media plant. Faster establishment in soil.
Rate of growth	Normal	Faster
Size of bag.	Dia 3.25 inches          Height 5 inches	Diameter 2 inches           Height 2.5 inches
Plant Height	4 to 5 leaves with 1 Feet height including bag	4 to 5 leaves with 1 Feet height including bag
Transport cost	Have to transport them in exclusively hired vehicle which is costlier. Cumbersome to  purchase small quantity of plants or for gap filling from the far away supplier.	Since about 200 plants can be horizontally packed in a  corrugated aerated  box, transporting them by bus or omni bus is very cheap. Just 6 boxes is enough for an acre.
Cost	Cost is ‘High’ because of the cost of bag, cost of growth medium and the labour for mixing and  filling it.	Cheaper.  Available as ready to use material.

                          DRY JIFFY PELLETS IN TRAYS

SWOLLEN JIFFY PELLETS AFTER WATER ADDITION

                      

 BANANA PLANTING IN JIFFY POTS / BAGS

  HARDENED BANANA PLANTS IN JIFFY POTS/BAGS

  BANANA PLANTS IN JIFFY POTS READY FOR PLANTING

Instructions to be followed on the receipt of Banana Jiffy Plants:

1. Tissue culture Banana Jiffy Pot / bag Plants are normally supplied to farmers in Corrugated Carton boxes. On receipt, immediately open the carton boxes, take out the plants carefully and keep them in standing position in the ‘Jiffy holding trays’ that are provided along with the plants (or) on moist soil bed under shade to avoid over crowding. 
2. At the time of receiving the plants, the stem may be slightly bent due to horizontal packing. This is no cause for worry as the stem will get straightened within 48 hours after vertical arrangement in the holding tray. 
3. The Plants have young white roots entangling the root ball which needs to be moistened always before planting into the field. Therefore water the plants by a Rose can intermittently. 
4. Plants should be kept in a place where there is partial shade and avoid exposure to direct sunlight. It is advisable to plant them within 48 hours of as the plants are very young. 
5. Please ensure the presence of following items at the time of planting:Neem Cake 200 grams/plant, Carbofuran-3G (Furadon) 5 grams / plant. D.A.P: 50 grams/plant and Vermicompost - 1 kg. The above items should be thoroughly mixed with the soil in the planting pit. 
6. Start planting in the well prepared field preferably in the evening hours and irrigate them immediately. Deep planting should be avoided. Press the surrounding soil with hands firmly for compaction of ground and irrigate immediately. 
7. Maintain the root zone at the field capacity level (moist condition) for 10-12 days.

The emergence of new leaves indicates the establishment of plants in the soil. Now the fertilizer application schedule as given in this blog must start.

Regards,
A.Vishnu Sankar

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Posted in: 08. Tissue Culture Banana Plants in Jiffy pots / bags / pellets

A brief note about 'Banana planting and cultivation' for School children

A brief note about 'Banana planting and cultivation' for School children:

Presenting 'Banana plants' to invitees of marriage functions and to school children for their academic / sports achievements have become orders of the day. For one such occasion, the organizers requested me to supply a brief note about 'Banana planting and cultivation methods' along with each and every Banana plant. So, a brief note was prepared in simple words especially for school children and the same has been  uploaded here in the hope that it may benefit organizers with similar cause.

Banana : Planting and cultivation methods:

Dear Children,

What you have received now from our Chief Guest is a Banana plant (Variety : Grande Naine) raised by Tissue culture production technology. A brief description about how to plant it in your sweet home and it’s cultivation methods are given hereunder.

1.      The plants you have received today are very young and must be planted the next day morning. 

2.      You might have noticed that the plants have young white roots entangling the root ball which needs to be moistened always before planting into the field.  Therefore water the plants intermittently.

3.      If you wish to plant them leisurely then they should be kept in a place where there is partial shade and avoid exposure to direct sunlight.

4.   Start planting in a well prepared spot preferably in the evening hours and irrigate it immediately.

5.      Dig a circular pit  (Size 1¹/₂ feet diameter and 1 feet depth) in your garden preferably in the place where your kitchen waste water percolates. Throughout the cultivation period, stagnation of water should be avoided as this will lead to infection and subsequent rotting of plant.

6.      Collect the following items at the time of planting:(1) Neem Cake 250 gms, (2) Ground nut Cake -  500 gms, (3) Farm yard Manure – 1 basket, (4) Vermicompost - 1 kg (5) Humic acid 10 gms and mix all the items along with the soil dug out from the planting pit and fill the pit with the mixture.

7.      The net like bag holding the root zone of the given plant is made of biodegradable material. So there is no need to remove it and you can plant as such in the soil.

8.   Planting depth should be maximum 1cm above the top level of bag. Deep planting should be avoided. Press the surrounding soil with hands firmly for compaction of ground and irrigate immediately.

9.      Maintain the root zone under moist condition for 10-12 days.

10. The emergence of new leaves indicates the establishment of plants in the soil. 

11. Irrigation / Water requirement: Young plants need watering daily twice upto 3 months. First month:  5 litres daily twice, 2^nd and 3^rd month: 10 to 15 litres daily twice, 4^th to 6th months: 20 litres daily once, 7^th month: 25 litres daily and after 8^th month upto bunch harvest: 35 litres daily.

12. Weeding : Unwanted weeds that come up surrounding the plant for up to 6 feet radius are to be periodically removed as there will be competition for food.

13. Management of daughter suckers : Banana plant normally produces numerous daughter suckers all around the plant after 3 - 4 months. These daughter suckers must be removed by sawing them up to the ground level. If you allow them to grow then the mother plant will produce smaller size bunch only. 

14. Fertilizer application :

a.      Apply 10 kg of Farmyard manure, 1 KG of Ground nut cake, 500 gms of Neem cake, 1Kg of Vermi-compost, 25 gms of Humic acid in powdered form, 5 kg of rice husk ash available in rice mills, 1 Kg of Rock phosphate, or any other organic sources available with you in a circular fashion all around the plant. (1 feet away on  3^rd month, 2 feet away by 5^th month and 2¹/₂ feet away after 6^th month). Apply Vermi and oilcakes alone by 7^th  & 8^th month for good bunch development. 

b.     Quantity and periodicity of fertilizer application varies depending upon the soil fertility of your garden. If the plant growth is stunted, additional application of nutrient rich oil cakes are necessary.  

15.  Propping: Banana plant is not sturdier enough to carry its own bunch. After bunch emergence you have to provide support to the developing bunch using poles. If not, the plant will collapse due to wind with immature fruits.

16. Harvesting : Flower emergence takes place between 6-7 months. Development of bunch takes about 120 days. Normal size bunch is with 9 to 11 hands and are ready for harvest by 11th or 12th month. The correct time for harvest (maturity index) is when you notice roundness of the tip of fruits and change of colour from green to light green.
17. Ripening : In India, 'Smoking method' is the age old and safe method to ripen  banana. In olden days each and every house had one windowless dark room usually under the stair case or at cattle shed exclusively for ripening banana bunches. Now we have to settle with any airtight plastic or stainless steel container. Place the harvested bunch along with 3 to 4 big green banana leaves in an air tight container for 2 days. Ripening will be hastened if you place some banana peels and other unripe fruits like Mangoes, tomatoes  Etc., along with banana.   

Banana is the first fruit every baby gets as food after milk because its tastes great, easily digestible, and a store house of energy.  A fairly inexpensive fruit when compared to the value of nutrients inside its protective skin such as: vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc. 

Think banana. Grow banana. Eat banana.

Eat for your health and to help poor farmers who tirelessly build our nations wealth.

For more details visit this link: www.tcbanana.blogspot.com.

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Posted in: 22. A brief note about 'Banana planting and cultivation' for School children.

Banana bunch care and Post Harvest management

Banana bunch care and Post Harvest Management

More PowerPoint presentations from Vishnu Sankar

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Posted in: 23. Banana Bunch care and Post Harvest Management - A Ppt presentation

FUNGAL DISEASE (Pre & Post - Harvest): CROWN ROT

CROWN ROT

Symptoms:

It is the most serious post harvest problem, especially where dehandling and boxing of fruit is not carried out in modern and centralized air-conditioned plants.

• A number of fungi are associated with crown disorder viz.   Colletotrichum musae (C.musae), Fusarium spp, Vetricullium theobromae (V.theobromae) and Botryodipiodia theobromae (B.theobromae).
• Blackening of the crown tissue occurs initially at the cut surfaces, but the rot may spread into the crown during transportation.
• Rotting is most noticeable if transit time exceeds 7 days and high incidence of disease may cause premature ripening of the fruits.

Control:

Dip or spray the harvested hands with 0.05% Bavistin.

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Posted in: 49. Fungal disease - Crown Rot

FUNGAL DISEASE (Pre & Post Harvest): CIGAR END ROT

CIGAR END ROT

Symptoms: 

Two fungi are associated with this disease viz. verticillium theobromae (V.theobromae) & Trachyspaera fructigena (T.fructigena). The fungus attacks at the flowering stage and its incidence is spotted during rainy season. Spray of Bavistin @ 1 gm/lt or Kavach (Chlorothalonil) @ 1gm / lt of water on the bunches is recommended.:

•   As the fruit develops, the infection spreads slowly along with the fruit growth  causing blackening of the skin. 

•   Tip of the infected fingers later gets covered with a powdery mass of spores resembling grey ash end of a cigar. 

Control: 

• Removal the untransformed flowers after the finger emergence. 
• Spray the bunches with Bavistin @ 1 gm/lt or Kavach (Chlorothalonil) @ 1gm / lt of water once in 15 days and later on cover the bunches with polythene sleeve. 

 

 

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Posted in: 48. Fungal disease - Cigar end rot

FUNGAL DISEASE (Pre & Post - Harvest): ANTHRACNOSE

ANTHRACNOSE

Symptoms: 

It is a serious pre and post harvest disease caused by Colletotrichum musae.

• Infection starts at the distal end of the young harvested fruits as minute black spots, spreading slowly to the whole fruit which eventually turns black and shriveled. It spreads to the other hands through the stalk affecting the    whole bunch. 
•  On ripening fruits, the symptoms appear as sunken  brownish lesions which get covered  by salmon colored    fungal sporulation. Lesions expand faster and coalesce giving a black appearance to the fingers.

Control:
Spray bunches twice with 0.25% Indofil M-45 or 0.25% Kavach at 15 days interval.

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Posted in: 47. Fungal disease - Anthracnose

FUNGAL DISEASE (Foliar) : PANAMA WILT.

PANAMA WILT (OR) FUSARIUM WILT 

Symptoms:

 Panama wilt is caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense. Both external and internal symptoms are present in the affected plant.

• Symptoms commence as yellowing of older leaves and progresses to youngest leaf. 
• The affected leaves collapse gradually at the petiole and hang around the Pseudostem. 
• At advanced stages of the disease development, splitting of the Pseudostem occurs coinciding with the collapse of crown.

Wilt is a vascular disease and attacks the conducting tissues. A transverse section of the Pseudostem/leaf base/rhizome exhibits presence of wilt fungus in the form of purplish or brownish-black discoloration of the vascular bundles that disrupts the translocation of nutrients leading to collapse of foliage and cessation of the growth of the crown.

Control: 

• Provide good drainage in field wherever water stagnation occurs. 
• Bimonthly drenching and weekly spray with 0.1% Bavistin for 2-3 weeks on and around the infected plants. 
• Uproot severely infected plants and burn them. Liming of the infected soil at the site of uprooted plants, helps in reducing the survival of fungus.

Click this link for: 

A highly successful method for effective control of Panama Wilt (or) Fusarium wilt in Banana plants.

     

 Regards,

A.Vishnu Sankar

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Posted in: 43. Fungal disease - Panama or Fusarium Wilt

FUNGAL DISEASE (Foliar) : CORDANA LEAF SPOT.

CORDANA LEAF SPOT 

This disease is caused by Cordana musae. (C.musae).

Symptoms: 

1. The fungus produces individual brown lesions which are upto several centimeters in length with a dark margin and surrounded by a chlorotic halo. 
2. The lesions enlarge in size, coalesce, and produce necrotic areas. Ultimately, the leaves turn brown and dry out. 

Control Measures:

Spray 0.25% Kavach or 0.25% Indofil M-45 or 0.1% Tilt at 15 days interval.

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Posted in: 46. Fungal disease - Cordana Leaf Spot

FUNGAL DISEASE (Foliar) : YELLOW SIGATOKA (Sigatoka Leaf Spot)

YELLOW SIGATOKA (Sigatoka Leaf Spot):

Symptoms:

In India, it is caused by Cercospora musae (C.musae), the asexual form of Mycosphaerella fijiensis.

• Symptoms start as tiny, yellow broken streaks followed by the development of brown spindle shape lesions in the streaked areas with a yellowish halo.
• Slowly lesions darken and become elliptical brown spots with a grayish centre demarcated by a well defined brown or black border.
•  These lesions coalesce and enlarge causing death of leaf blade.
• This results in reduced photosynthetic area and eventually reduced harvestable yield coupled with accelerated fruit maturity and immature ripening.

 Control Measures:

• Keep the orchard clean, remove the diseased leaves and burn outside the plantation. 
• Make proper drainage of water to avoid water logging. 
• Contact fungicide Mancozeb(2.5gm / lt) or Calixin (2ml/lt) with Teepol (Sticking agent ) must be sprayed during initial symptoms. 
• During severe infection Bavistin @ 2gm / lt or 0.1% Tilt can also be used and repeat at 15 days interval. 
• Increment in Potassium in the fertilizer dose and 6 feet X 6 feet spacing in plantation minimizes the infestation.

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Posted in: 45. Fungal disease - Sigatoka Leaf Spot (Yellow Sigatoka)