Symptoms and Management of Fruit Rot of Betel nut
Causal organism: Phytophthora palmivora.
Symptoms of Fruit Rot of Betel nut
1. The first symptoms are watersoaked lesions on the nut surface near the calyx.
2. The patches enlarge and nuts darken and are shed in large numbers. A fallen nut is soon covered by a whitish mycelial mass.
3. Fruit stalks and rachis of the inflorescence are also affected. Very often the top of the affected trees dries up resulting in the withering of leaves and bunches.
Control Measures of Fruit Rot of Betel nut
1. Clean cultivation.
2. Destruction of affected trees.
3. Collection and burning of fallen nuts.
4. Spray Bordeaux mixture 1% on all bunches twice a year once before the onset of monsoon and another 40 days later.
5. Spraying Macuprax @ 1.5 % solution at 34 times after 15-30 days interval.