BSc Agriculture - 6th

semester
Diseases of Field & Horticultural Crops &
Their Management-II 3(2+1)

Unit-I

Syllabus
Wheat and pulses crops: Symptoms,
etiology, disease cycle and Management of
the following diseases:

Wheat: Rusts, Loose smut, Karnal bunt,

Powdery mildew, and Ear cockle;
Gram: wilt, and Ascochyta blight;
Lentil: rust

Some Basic Concepts

Greek word: Pathas suffering. Logus =

study

Plant pathology is the study of plants and

their management. Causes of suffering

→ Father of plant pathology - Anton de

Bary

Etiology refers to the study of the causes

of a disease, which may include factors
related to the host, pathogen, and
environment that interact to produce the
disease.

A disease is a condition that disrupts

normal bodily function and is typically
characterized by the presence of symptoms
resulting from continuous irritation or
damage.

Disease Cycle:

Inoculation: The pathogen comes into

contact with the host plant and infects
it.
Incubation: The pathogen starts to
grow and reproduce inside the host
plant.
Infection: The pathogen causes
damage to the plant's tissues, leading
to the development of disease
symptoms.
Dispersal: The pathogen produces
spores or other structures that allow it
to spread to other plants and infect
them.

Symptoms:- Symptoms are the observable

or internal changes in the host that occur as
a result of a disease or injury. These
changes can include physical signs, such as
a rash or fever, and changes in behaviour or
physiological processes.

Wheat Crops

Wheat Rusts:

Symptoms:

Appearance of reddish-brown or
yellowish-brown pustules on leaves,
stems, and grains.
These pustules can rupture, releasing
powdery rust spores that can easily be
rubbed off with a finger.
Severely infected leaves can turn
yellow, wither, and die, reducing
photosynthesis and affecting yield.
Three types of Rusts:
Stem rust: elongated reddish-brown
pustules on stems and leaves.
Leaf rust: small, roundish pustules
causing yellowish appearance on
leaves.
Stripe rust: yellow stripes of pustules
on leaves.

Etiology:

Caused by fungal pathogens of the

genus Puccinia.
Stem rust: Puccinia graminis f. sp.
tritici.
Leaf rust: Puccinia triticina.
Stripe rust: Puccinia striiformis.

Disease Cycle:

Rust pathogens survive on alternate

hosts or as dormant spores on crop
debris.
Urediniospores (spores) are produced
on infected plants.
When environmental conditions are
conducive, spores (urediniospores) are
produced on infected plants and
spread by wind to infect healthy
plants.
Infection occurs when spores land on
susceptible plant tissues and
germinate.

Management:

Cultural Practices:
Resistant Varieties: Plant rust-
resistant wheat cultivars or
hybrids that are less susceptible
to rust infections.
Timely Sowing: Opt for timely
sowing to avoid the peak period
of rust infection.
Avoid Continuous Cropping:
Practicing crop rotation with non-
host crops helps break the
disease cycle.
Sanitation Measures:
Crop Residue Removal: Clear
the field of infected crop residues
after harvest to reduce the source
of inoculum.
Weed Control: Control weeds
that can serve as alternate hosts
for rust pathogens.
Chemical Control:
Fungicides: Application of
appropriate fungicides can
effectively manage rust
infections, especially during high
disease pressure periods.
Application Timing: Apply
fungicides preventively or as soon
as rust symptoms are observed.
Integrated Disease Management:
Resistant Varieties +
Fungicides: Utilize both rust-
resistant varieties and fungicides
for a more comprehensive
approach.
Monitoring: Regularly scout the
crop to detect early rust
symptoms for timely intervention.
Early Sowing: Early sowing can
reduce disease severity by escaping
the period of high rust incidence.
Crop Rotation: Rotate wheat with
non-host crops to break the disease
cycle.
Farm Hygiene: Ensure farm
equipment used in rust-infested fields
is properly cleaned before moving to
uninfested fields.

Wheat Loose Smut:

Symptoms:

Inflorescence Transformation: Loose

smut primarily affects the wheat
inflorescence (flowering part). Infected
heads are replaced by masses of dark
brown, powdery spores (smut balls)
that contain fungal spores.
Smuts at Maturity: At maturity, smut
balls disintegrate, releasing large
quantities of spores that can infect
healthy plants.

Etiology:

Pathogen: Loose smut is caused by

the fungus Ustilago tritici.
Infection and Transmission: The
fungus overwinters in infected seeds
(smut balls). These infected seeds,
when sown, result in the growth of
infected plants.

Disease Cycle:

1. Seed Contamination: Infected seeds

(smut balls) are sown in the field.
2. Systemic Infection: The fungus
penetrates young seedlings as they
germinate and grows systemically
within the plant.
3. Smut Ball Formation: During
flowering, the fungus replaces the
wheat head with smut balls.
4. Spore Dispersal: At maturity, smut
balls rupture, releasing vast numbers
of spores.
5. Infection of Healthy Plants: Spores
land on healthy plants, germinate, and
penetrate through the stomata,
starting the infection cycle anew.

Management:

Use Certified Seed: Use certified,

disease-free seed to avoid introducing
smut into the field.
Seed Treatment: Treat seeds with
fungicides to reduce the risk of
infection. Fungicides like Thiram,
Captan, Carbendazim etc.
Hot Water Treatment: Immersion of
seeds in hot water (52°C for 15
minutes) can help eliminate smut
spores from the seed surface.
Crop Rotation: Rotate wheat with
non-host crops to reduce inoculum
buildup in the field.
Eradication of Volunteer Plants:
Remove volunteer wheat plants that
may serve as a source of infection.
Resistant Varieties: Plant resistant
wheat varieties to reduce the risk of
smut infection.
Systematic Survey: Regularly monitor
the crop for smut symptoms and take
necessary measures if detected.

Karnal bunt

Symptoms:

External Symptoms: The most

noticeable symptom is the presence of
black masses of spores (smutted
bunt balls) that replace kernels in the
wheat spikelet.
Internal Symptoms: Infected kernels
are partially or completely replaced by
spores, resulting in a smutty odor and
discolored flour.

Etiology:

Pathogen: Karnal bunt is caused by

the fungus Tilletia indica.
Infection and Transmission: The
fungus survives in the soil as
teliospores, which can infect young
wheat plants during germination.

Disease Cycle:

1. Soil Contamination: Teliospores in the

soil are the primary source of
inoculum.
2. Seedling Infection: The fungus
infects the seedling as it germinates
and establishes itself systemically
within the plant.
3. Systemic Growth: The fungus
remains latent in the plant until the
reproductive stage.
4. Bunt Ball Formation: Infected kernels
are replaced by bunt balls filled with
dark brown spores.
5. Spore Dispersal: Ruptured bunt balls
release spores into the environment.
6. Infection of Healthy Plants: Spores
infect healthy plants, and the cycle
continues.

Management:

Use Certified Seed: Plant certified,

disease-free seed to prevent
introducing the pathogen into the field.
Seed Treatment: Apply fungicidal
seed treatment to protect germinating
seedlings.
Crop Rotation: Avoid planting wheat in
consecutive seasons in contaminated
fields.
Early Sowing: Early sowing can help
escape the period of high disease
pressure.
Resistant Varieties: Planting resistant
wheat varieties is an effective way to
manage the disease.
Sanitation: Remove and destroy
volunteer wheat plants to reduce
inoculum sources.
Quarantine Measures: Ensure that
seed and machinery are not
contaminated with bunt spores.
Hot Water Treatment: Infected seeds
can be treated with hot water (52°C for
15 minutes) to kill the bunt spores.

Powdery Mildew:

Symptoms:

White Powdery Growth: Powdery

mildew appears as white, powdery
fungal growth on the leaves, stems,
and heads of wheat plants.
Chlorosis: Infected leaves may show
yellowing (chlorosis) due to reduced
photosynthesis.
Stunted Growth: Severe infections
can lead to stunted growth and
reduced grain yield.

Etiology:

Pathogen: Wheat powdery mildew is

caused by several species of the
fungal genus Blumeria (formerly
Erysiphe).

Disease Cycle:

1. Overwintering Structures: The

fungus overwinters as dormant
structures in crop residues.
2. Initial Infection: In spring, spores
(conidia) are produced on infected
residues and are wind-dispersed to
new growth.
3. Infection and Colonization: Conidia
land on wheat leaves, germinate, and
produce specialized structures called
appressoria to penetrate the leaf
surface.
4. Fungal Growth: The fungus grows
within the leaf, forming a powdery
mycelium.
5. Spore Production: As the mycelium
matures, it produces more conidia that
spread to other parts of the plant and
neighboring plants.

Management:

Resistant Varieties: Planting resistant

wheat varieties can significantly
reduce disease severity.
Timely Planting: Early planting can
help avoid peak disease pressure.
Fungicides: If the disease risk is high,
timely application of fungicides can
suppress powdery mildew.
Cultural Practices: Adequate spacing
between plants, good air circulation,
and proper irrigation can reduce
humidity levels that favor disease
development.
Crop Rotation: Rotate wheat with
non-host crops to reduce the
carryover of inoculum.
Sanitation: Remove and destroy crop
residues after harvest to eliminate
overwintering structures.
Monitoring: Regular scouting for
disease symptoms can help determine
the need for fungicide application.

Ear cockle

Symptoms:

Swollen Kernels: Infected wheat

spikes develop swollen and distorted
kernels instead of normal grains.
White to Pink Color: Infected kernels
are often white or pinkish in color and
lack the typical grain structure.
Reduced Quality: The presence of ear
cockle reduces the overall quality and
market value of wheat.

Etiology:

Pathogen: Wheat ear cockle is caused

by the fungus Anguina tritici, which is a
seed-borne pathogen.

Disease Cycle:

1. Infested Seeds: The fungus survives

within the seeds of the wheat plant.
2. Infection of Floral Organs: During
flowering, the fungus infects the floral
organs of the wheat plant.
3. Nematode Transmission: The fungus
is vectored by a nematode (parasitic
worms found in plants) called the
wheat seed gall nematode (Anguina
tritici), which feeds on the infected
floral parts.
4. Gall Formation: The nematode
feeding causes the development of
galls within the floral organs, leading to
the characteristic swollen kernels.
5. Propagation: Infected seeds with
swollen kernels produce nematode-
infested seeds that continue the
disease cycle.

Management:

Use Certified Seed: Plant certified

disease-free seeds to avoid
introducing infected material into the
field.
Crop Rotation: Rotate wheat with
non-host crops to reduce the
nematode population in the soil.
Early Planting: Plant wheat early to
avoid peak nematode activity and
reduce the chances of infection.
Nematicides: Soil-applied
nematicides may help reduce
nematode populations, but their
efficacy can vary.
Sanitation: Remove and destroy
infected plant residues after harvest to
minimize the carryover of nematodes.
Resistant Varieties: Some wheat
varieties have shown resistance to the
nematode vector; planting these can
reduce the disease's impact.
Monitoring: Regular field monitoring
and scouting can help identify the
presence of swollen kernels and take
appropriate action.

Gram:

Wilt

Symptoms:

Wilting and Yellowing: Infected gram

plants exhibit wilting and yellowing of
leaves, starting from the lower leaves.
Leaf Drop: Infected leaves may drop
prematurely.
Stunted Growth: Plants infected at an
early stage may show stunted growth.
Brown Vascular Tissues: The
vascular tissues of infected plants turn
brown due to the pathogen's invasion.

Etiology:

Pathogen: Gram wilt is caused by the

soil-borne fungus Fusarium
oxysporum f. sp. ciceri.

Disease Cycle:

1. Soil Infestation: The pathogen

persists in the soil as chlamydospores
and mycelium.
2. Root Infection: The pathogen infects
the root system of gram plants through
wounds or natural openings.
3. Vascular Invasion: Once inside the
plant, the pathogen invades the
vascular tissues, causing blockage and
disruption of water and nutrient
transport.
4. Wilting and Yellowing: As the
vascular tissues are affected, the plant
experiences wilting and yellowing
symptoms.
5. Spread: The pathogen spreads
through infected soil, contaminated
tools, and infected plant debris.

Management:

Resistant Varieties: Plant resistant or

tolerant gram varieties that have