School of Agriculture

Diseases of Cucurbits ,Onion and Garlic

Presented by –
Anjali rana
Jiya pal
Submitted to – Dr . Supriya Gupta Priyanshu
Nirav
 Cucurbits Diseases,
Symptoms,
Etiology,
Disease cycle and
Their
Management.

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Downy mildew
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Causal Organism :
Pseudoperonospora
cubensis

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 Symptoms
1. Yellow Angular Lesions: Angular, yellowish lesions develop on the upper leaf
surface, with corresponding grayish-white fuzzy growth on the underside.
2. Leaf Curling: Infected leaves may exhibit curling or cupping due to damage
caused by the pathogen.
3. Reduced Photosynthesis: Lesions impede photosynthesis, leading to
chlorosis, stunted growth, and reduced yield.
4. Systemic Spread: The pathogen can spread systemically through the plant,
affecting multiple leaves and vines rapidly.
5. Spore Dispersal: The disease spreads through wind-dispersed sporangia or
water-splashed spores, facilitating its rapid spread within and between fields.
 Favorable Conditions
1. Cool Temperatures: Optimal temperature ranges between 10-25°C (50-77°F)
for disease development.
2. High Humidity: Moisture levels above 90% and relative humidity exceeding
85% create favorable conditions.
3. Overhead Irrigation: Frequent overhead irrigation or rainfall can facilitate
spore dispersal and infection.
4. Crowded Planting: Dense planting and lack of airflow increase humidity
levels, promoting disease spread.
5. Cloudy Weather: Extended periods of cloud cover can maintain high humidity
levels conducive to disease development.
 Management Practices with
Examples
1.Resistant Cultivars: Planting resistant varieties like 'Diva' cucumber or
'Butternut Hercules' squash can reduce disease incidence.
2.Crop Rotation: Alternating cucurbit crops with non-host plants disrupts the
disease cycle.
3.Fungicide Applications: Regular application of fungicides containing active
ingredients like chlorothalonil or mancozeb can help prevent infection.
4.Sanitation: Removing and destroying infected plant debris reduces inoculum
levels in the field.
5.Monitoring and Early Detection: Regular scouting for symptoms and
implementing control measures at the first sign of infection can prevent
widespread outbreaks.
 Mode of Spread
The mode of spread of Downy Mildew of cucurbits typically occurs
through:
Airborne Spores: The pathogen produces spores called sporangia,
which are dispersed through the air, particularly during periods of
high humidity and wind.
Water Splash: Rainfall or overhead irrigation can splash sporangia
from infected plants onto neighboring healthy plants, facilitating the
spread of the disease within the field.
Disease Cycle
Pathogens causing downy mildew are not fungi but Oomycetes and related to
Pythium and Phytophthora. They survive as oospores. From these oospores or
surviving mycelium sporangia are formed, structures in which zoospores are
produced. However, in downy mildews, sporangia often germinate directly and
the germ tubes infect the plants either through the stomata or directly by
penetrating the cuticula. For germination free water is required. For most
downy mildews, the optimum temperature is around 15 oC and the closer the
temperature is to this, the shorter the leaf wetness period that is required.
Inside the plant, the pathogens produce haustoria, small organs with which
the pathogen can take up nutrients from the living plant cells. The pathogens
continue to grow inside the leaves and after a while new spore-bearing
structures are protruding from the stomata. Because there are more stomata
on the underside of the leaf, this is where most fluffy symptoms are found.
POWDERY MILDEW

Causal organisms :
Podosphaera xanthii
 Symptoms
1.White Powdery Growth: A characteristic white, powdery growth appears on the upper and
lower leaf surfaces, initially in small patches and later spreading to cover larger areas.
2.Leaf Curling and Distortion: Infected leaves may exhibit curling, twisting, or distortion,
especially along the edges, as the fungal growth disrupts normal leaf development.
3.Stunted Growth: Severe Powdery Mildew infections can lead to stunted plant growth,
resulting in reduced vigor and smaller fruits.
4.Yellowing and Browning: As the disease progresses, infected leaves may turn yellow, then
brown, and eventually die off, particularly in heavily affected areas.
5.Premature Defoliation: Advanced Powdery Mildew infections can cause premature
defoliation, where infected leaves wither, dry up, and fall off the plant prematurely, further
weakening the plant.
 Favorable Conditions
1.Warm Days and Cool Nights: Optimal temperature ranges between 18-27°C
(64-81°F) promote disease development.
2.High Humidity: Relative humidity levels above 70-80% create favorable
conditions for spore germination and infection.
3.Moderate Shade: Partial shade or reduced sunlight can create microclimates
conducive to Powdery Mildew development.
4.Overcrowding: Dense planting and lack of airflow increase humidity levels and
favor disease spread.
 Management Practices with
Examples
1.Resistant Cultivars: Planting resistant varieties like 'Ambassador' zucchini or 'Sweet Success'
cucumber can reduce disease incidence.
2.Proper Spacing: Adequate spacing between plants promotes air circulation and reduces
humidity, inhibiting fungal growth.
3.Fungicide Applications: Regular application of fungicides containing active ingredients like
sulfur or potassium bicarbonate can help prevent and manage the disease.
4.Pruning: Removing infected plant parts, such as heavily affected leaves or vines, helps reduce
inoculum levels and slows disease spread.
5.Avoiding Overhead Irrigation: Watering at the base of plants instead of overhead minimizes
leaf wetness and reduces the risk of Powdery Mildew infection.
 Mode of Spread
The mode of spread of Powdery Mildew of cucurbits generally
involves:
Airborne Conidia: The fungus releases microscopic spores called
conidia, which are carried by air currents to infect nearby healthy
plants.
Human and Equipment Movement: Conidia can also be spread
inadvertently by human activities such as walking through infected
fields or by equipment like tools and machinery, aiding in the
dissemination of the disease to new locations.
Disease Cycle
Powdery mildew of cucurbits is caused by the fungi Erysiphe
cichoracearum and Podosphaera fuliginea. The disease cycle is
initiated by windblown conidia, which infect cucurbits over a
range of humidity (50 to 95%) during moderate to warm (68 to
80ºF) temperatures. E.cichoracearum is more active at lower
temperatures than P. fuliginea. The pathogen overwinters on
wild cucurbit hosts, weeds, and dead vines.
 Purple Blotch of

Onions
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Causal organism:
Alternaria porri

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 Symptoms
1.Purple Spots on Leaves: Small, circular to irregularly shaped purple or dark brown spots
appear on the leaves, usually starting at the tips or edges and spreading inward.
2.Lesion Expansion: The lesions gradually enlarge, coalesce, and become necrotic, leading to
extensive tissue damage and leaf death.
3.Bulb Symptoms: In severe cases, Purple Blotch can affect the onion bulbs, causing dark,
sunken lesions or rotting at the neck or base of the bulb.
4.Leaf Blighting: Severe infections result in the blighting of leaves, where large areas of the
foliage turn yellow, then brown, and eventually die off.
5.Reduced Yield and Quality: Purple Blotch infections weaken the plants, reduce bulb size and
weight, and affect bulb quality, leading to economic losses for onion grower
 Favorable conditions
1.Warm and Humid Weather: Optimal temperature ranges between 20-30°C (68-86°F) with high
humidity levels promote disease development.
2.Overhead Irrigation: Frequent overhead irrigation or rainfall, combined with prolonged leaf
wetness, create favorable conditions for spore germination and infection.
3.Dense Planting: Overcrowding and lack of airflow increase humidity levels within the canopy,
providing an ideal environment for fungal growth.
4.Poor Drainage: Excess moisture in the soil and poor drainage contribute to increased humidity
levels and create conditions conducive to disease spread.
5.Infected Plant Debris: Residues from previous onion crops or infected plant debris left in the
field serve as sources of inoculum for new infections.
 Management Practices with Examples
1.Crop Rotation: Rotating onions with non-host crops helps break the disease cycle and reduces
inoculum levels in the soil.
2.Sanitation: Removing and destroying infected plant debris minimizes the source of inoculum
for future infections.
3.Proper Spacing: Adequate spacing between onion plants promotes air circulation, reduces
humidity, and inhibits fungal spread.
4.Fungicide Applications: Regular application of fungicides containing active ingredients like
chlorothalonil or mancozeb can help prevent and manage the disease.
5.Resistant Varieties: Planting onion varieties that are resistant or tolerant to Purple Blotch,
such as 'Redwing' or 'Red Baron,' can help reduce disease incidence.
 Mode of Spread
The mode of spread of Purple Blotch of onion typically involves:
Splash Dispersal: Spores produced by the fungus Alternaria porri can
be dispersed via raindrops or irrigation splash, transferring from
infected plant material to neighboring healthy onion plants.
Wind Dispersal: Airborne spores can also be carried by wind
currents, spreading the disease to nearby onion plants within the
field or to neighboring fields.
 Disease Cycle
Spots on the leaves are at first small with white centres, but expand rapidly into oval, brown to
purple blotches, several centimetres long . Light and dark rings appear on the blotches. If the
blotches grow around the leaves, or merge, the parts above the blotch wilt, collapse and die The
leaf tips are commonly infected. The bulbs can also be infected at harvest; infection is usually at
the neck where a watery yellow to red rot develops.
The disease is favoured by high humidity, and can also occur as a secondary infection on plants
damaged by other pests, e.g., onion thrips.
The fungus survives on crop debris on or in the soil for at least a year. Spores of the fungus are
produced in the brown to purple blotches and are spread by wind, rain splash and, possibly, by
insects. Heavy dews or rains favour the disease, as the leaves need to stay wet for 8 hours for the
spores to infect. Older leaves are more susceptible, especially those damaged by the onion thrips.
Spread on seed has been reported, but is probably rare.
 STEM PHYLUM BLIGHT
GARLIC
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Causal organism:
Stemphylium vesicarium

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 Symptoms
1.Yellowing and Browning of Leaves: Infected garlic leaves develop yellow to brown lesions,
starting from the tips or edges and spreading inward.
2.Lesion Expansion: The lesions gradually enlarge, becoming elongated and sunken, with dark
margins and a lighter center, resembling cigar-shaped spots.
3.Stem and Bulb Symptoms: In severe cases, Stemphylium Leaf Blight can affect the stems and
bulbs of garlic, causing dark, sunken lesions or rotting, leading to lodging and reduced bulb
quality.
4.Leaf Blighting: Severe infections result in the blighting of leaves, where large areas of the
foliage turn yellow, then brown, and eventually die off.
5.Reduced Yield and Quality: Stemphylium Leaf Blight infections weaken the plants, reduce
bulb size and weight, and affect bulb quality, leading to economic losses for garlic growers.
 Favorable Conditions
1.Warm and Humid Weather: Optimal temperature ranges between 20-25°C (68-77°F) with high
humidity levels promote disease development.
2.Moisture: Rainfall, overhead irrigation, or high humidity levels create favorable conditions for
spore germination and infection.
3.Overcrowding: Dense planting and lack of airflow increase humidity levels within the garlic
canopy, providing an ideal environment for fungal growth.
4.Infected Plant Debris: Residues from previous garlic crops or infected plant debris left in the
field serve as sources of inoculum for new infections.
5.Poor Drainage: Excess moisture in the soil and poor drainage contribute to increased humidity
levels and create conditions conducive to disease spread
Management Practices with Examples
1.Crop Rotation: Rotating garlic with non-host crops helps break the disease cycle and reduces
inoculum levels in the soil.
2.Sanitation: Removing and destroying infected plant debris minimizes the source of inoculum
for future infections.
3.Proper Spacing: Adequate spacing between garlic plants promotes air circulation, reduces
humidity, and inhibits fungal spread.
4.Fungicide Applications: Regular application of fungicides containing active ingredients like
chlorothalonil or mancozeb can help prevent and manage the disease.
5.Resistant Varieties: Planting garlic varieties that are resistant or tolerant to Stemphylium Leaf
Blight can help reduce disease incidence.
 Mode of Spread
The mode of spread of Stemphylium Leaf Blight of garlic generally
involves:
Rain Splash: Spores produced by the fungus Stemphylium vesicarium
are dispersed by raindrops or overhead irrigation splash, transferring
from infected plant material to nearby healthy garlic plants.
Wind Dispersal: Airborne spores can also be carried by wind
currents, facilitating the spread of the disease to neighboring garlic
plants within the field or to adjacent fields.
Disease Cycle
Early symptoms of Stemphylium
spp. infection in garlic leaves
consist of small white spots and
apical necrosis. These lesions soon
develop into larger, elongate white
spots that eventually become
purple and water soaked