Mango diseases in Indian sub continent and its management

1. Some Important Diseases of Mango & Its ManagementSome Important Diseases of Mango & Its Management
Dr. Subhomay Sinha
M.Sc. (IARI), Ph. D. (IARI)

2. Powdery Mildew of Mango
Mango powdery mildew is caused by a fungus, named Oidium mangiferae.
It attacks panicle, flowers and leaves of mango, causing a superficial
white powdery appearance on it.
The disease is spread by wind and can spread very rapidly.
Because of poor fruits set and heavy flower / fruits drop, the loss due to
Powdery Mildew disease may be as high as 70 - 80%.
Flowers fail to open, blacken or become brown, dry and may fall from
panicles as they become completely covered by the fungus. Symptom is
called – BLOSSOM BLIGHT.
Generally the infection starts from the inflorescence and spreads
downwards covering the floral axis, tender leaves and soft stem.

3. Favourable condition for disease outbreak:
 High humidity, cloudy weather & high wind velocity for 3-4
day.
 Minimum temperature 10 - 130 C, maximum 27-310 C and RH
82-91 % are most encouraging for disease severity.
 Third and fourth week of March attains maximum infestation.
 Close planting of trees without proper canopy management.
Powdery mildew of Mango

4. Powdery Mildew symptom on young mango
leaves
In severe infection, leaves become twisted,
brown, dry and fall.
POWDERY MILDEW Symptoms on Mango Leaves

5. Powdery Mildew symptom on mango inflorescence.
INFLORESCENCE TURNS BLACK WITH SUPERFICIAL “POWDERY – WHITE” APPEARANCE
POWDERY MILDEW symptoms on mango inflorescence

6. Powdery Mildew symptom on young mango fruit and leaf
POWDERY MILDEW symptoms on mango inflorescence

7. Management of disease
Prune the mango tree branches to keep them short for easy orchard
management, entry of sun light and air flow within the canopy –
These reduces the disease incidence.
Proper spacing of plant should be maintained at the time of orchard
establishment. It should not be less than 6 m X 6 m.
Avoid excess application of nitrogen fertilizer to mango plants as it
welcomes fungal infestation.
Powdery mildew of Mango
Sprinkler irrigation method in mango orchard invites this disease, as it wets
the leaves and raises the RH within the plant canopy. So it should be
avoided.
Resistant varieties like Neelum, Zardalu, Banglora, Torapari-khurd and
Janardhan pasand should be grown.

8. Sl no Name of the fungicide Remark
1 Azoxystrobin Systemic fungicide
2 Carbendazim Systemic fungicide
3 Dinocap Contact fungicide
4 Hexaconazole Systemic fungicide
5 Lime – sulphur / Sulphur Contact fungicide
6 Mancozeb Contact fungicide
7 Benomyl Contact fungicide
8 Miclobutanil Systemic fungicide
9 Pyraclostrobin Systemic fungicide
10 Carbendazim + Mancozeb
Systemic + contact
fungicide
11 Triadimefon Systemic fungicide
12 Azoxystrobin + Difenoconazol
Systemic + systemic
fungicide
Name of The Fungicides That Can Be Used for Controlling POWDERY MILDEW OF MANGO.
Spray the trees with systemic fungicides, belonging to “Triazole” or ”Strobilurin” group
like Pyraclostrobin, Azoxystrobin, Tryfloxystrobin, Triadimefon, Miclobutanil,
Hexaconazole etc. Alter them regularly with contact fungicides like Sulphur /Lime –
sulphur, Carbendazim, Dinocap, Mancozeb etc. This is the best practise to combat
resistance development of fungi.

9. For effective disease management, four sprays of fungicides
have been recommended, beginning from flower bud initiation
till complete fruit set at 7 – 14 days interval. Fungicide with
Systemic nature should be altered with contact fungicide.
 FIRST SPRAY AT FLOWER CLUSTER EMERGENCE STAGE
 SECOND SPRAY AT JUST BEFORE THE CLUSTER OPENING
 THIRD SPRAY DURING THE FRUIT SET
 FOURTH SPRAY AT AFTER THE FRUIT SET.
Spraying at full bloom stage may be avoided.
 Excessive application of sulphur may leads to phytotoxicity.
Chemical control of MANGO POWDERY MILDEW disease

10. Anthracnose in Mango
1. It is a PRE – HARVEST and POST – HARVEST disease of mango.
2. is caused by a fungus, named Colletotrichum gloeosporioides.
3. It results different symptoms named as Leaf Spots, Blossom Blight, Wither
Tip, Twig Blight and Fruit Rot symptoms on mango plant.
4. Ripe fruits are most severely affected by Anthracnose. It is a serious
threat in post harvest management of ripe mango fruits.
Favourable conditions for disease development
 High humidity, frequent rains and a temperature of 24 - 320 C favours the
development of Mango Anthracnose disease.
 In post harvest condition, it turns severe, if ripe mangoes are harvested in rain or
stored as wet condition.
A MAJOR DISEASE OF MANGO

11. Anthracnose in Mango : SYMPTOMS
Twig Blight and related die back.
Infections appear initially on twigs and young branches as tiny,
well-defined black spots / flecks or specks.
Later, it enlarges and girdle the stem and twig starts decaying.

12. Anthracnose in Mango : SYMPTOMS
On leaves circular, light yellow brown spots are
produced initially which soon enlarge with dark brown
to black margins. If infection is severe, individual spots
coalesce leading to twisting of foliage and premature
defoliation.
Leaf Spots

13. Anthracnose in Mango : SYMPTOMS Blossom blight
Small black or dark-
brown spots
appears on
inflorescence, which
later enlarge,
coalesce, and cause
flower drop.
THIS SYMPTOM IS
CALLED BLOSSOM
BLIGHT.

14. Anthracnose in Mango : SYMPTOMS Blossom blight
Anthracnose infected mango panicle (L) in comparison with healthy panicle (R)

15. Anthracnose in Mango : SYMPTOMS Pre – harvest infection on ripe
fruits
“Tear stain” effect on freshly - ripe mango
fruit is an indication of Anthracnose
Alligator skin development on ripe mango fruit
is an indication of Anthracnose

16. Anthracnose in Mango : SYMPTOMS Pre – harvest infection on ripe
fruits
Cracking of mango epidermis due to
Anthracnose disease

17. Anthracnose in Mango : SYMPTOMS
Post – harvest infection on ripe
fruits
Sunken black lesions on ripe mango
fruits due to Anthracnose, called as
“Black Spots”.
If harvested wet condition, then the disease
develops rapidly and within 3 – 4 days,
entire fruit turns black and become unfit for
consumption

18. CONTROL OF MANGO ANTHRACNOSE
Cultural practices
Sanitation of orchard: prune trees yearly and remove fallen plant-debris from
the ground.
Plant spacing: wider plant spacing will inhibit severe epidemics.
Intercropping: interpolating mango with other types of trees that are non – host
of Mango Anthracnose pathogen.
Biological control
Spray Pseudomonus fluorescence on mango plants, starting from October,
with a gap of 21 – 25 days.

19. Chemical control (before harvest)
When panicle / fruits / twigs are infested, then Spray one of the following:
Difenoconazole @ 30 ml/100 litre water
Thiophenate methyl @ 200 gm/100 litre water
Chlorothalonil + Metalaxyl @ 250 gm/100 litre water
Fostyl aluminium @ 500 gm/100 litre of water
Azoxystrobin 23% SC @ 100 ml / 100 l of water, depending on the size of
the tree canopy.
Copper oxy chloride @ 4 gm / L of water as a preventive measure.
CONTROL OF MANGO ANTHRACNOSE

20. Chemical control (after harvest)
Anthracnose can be managed with pre-harvest sprays of Carbendazim or
Thiophanate methyl (0.1%) at 15 days interval in such a way that last
spray falls 12-15 days prior to harvest.
Hot water dipping of freshly harvested ripe fruits, containing fungicides
like Carbendazim (0.05%) or Thiophanate Methyl (0.1 %) for 5 minutes at
52 ±10 C gives effective control of Anthracnose disease during storage .
CONTROL OF MANGO ANTHRACNOSE

21. Mango Malformation C.O. Fusarium mangiferae, a fungi
The disease can cause abnormal flower, leaf and shoot growth.
There are two types of malformation symptoms namely :
1) Vegetative Malformation & 2) Floral Malformation.
Mango Malformation disease can affect mango trees of all ages, though
nursery plants are most susceptible.

22. Growing points such as leaf and stem buds produce misshapen shoots with short swollen
internodes and brittle leaves.
Vegetative Malformation
Trees between 4 - 8 years of age suffer the most (90.9 %) from vegetative malformation
Mango Malformation
Malformed twig Normal twig

23. Mango Malformation
Some
example of
Vegetative
Malformation
of Mango
Vegetative Malformation

24. Floral malformation
The flowering panicles instead of coming out as a normal one turns into compact bunch of
hard flowers. Flowers are enlarged, sterile and do not bear fruit.
Flower stems or panicles are thickened and highly branched, producing up to 3 times the
normal number of flowers. The malformed flowers remain green for longer period and hang on
the trees even after the fruiting season.
The flower buds are often transformed into vegetative buds, with a large number of small
leaves and stems, characterized by reduced internodes, gives a witches’-broom appearance
Mango Malformation
Normal inflorescence Malformed inflorescence

25. Some example of Floral Malformation
Mango Malformation

26. Control measures against Mango malformation
 Use of disease free planting material. Infected rootstock at nursery should be destroyed.
 Scion part of asexually propagated mango seedling should not be taken from plant, already
having symptom of malformation.
 As soon as the disease appears, the affected terminals along with the basal 15-20 cm healthy
portion should be removed or pruned and burnt.
 Incidence can be reduced by spraying 100 - 200 ppm NAA (Planofix) during October, followed
by the spraying of Carbendazim (0.1%) and Thiophanate Methyl (0.1 %).
 Spraying of 1000 ppm Paclobutrazol (10-60 gm/tree), during the first week of October reduced
malformation, increased number of healthy flowers and increased the yield.
 Pruning of diseased parts in the month of October, followed by the spraying of Carbendazim
(0.1%) helps to reduce disease infestation. This is followed by the spraying of Captafol (0.2%).
 A single foliar application of 1,000 ppm cobalt sulphate prior to flower bud differentiation
successfully reduce the floral malformation.
 Spraying of trace element solution of zinc, boron, and copper before bloom and after fruit
harvesting provides effective to control or minimise the incidence of malformation.
 The reduced floral malformation was observed when ascorbic acid was applied at 200 ppm in
the first week of October.

27. Sooty Mould disease is common in the mango orchards where sap sucking
insects, like MEALY BUG, SCALE INSECTS and MANGO HOPPERS are not
controlled efficiently
C.O. Meliola mangiferae, a fungus
This disease is recognized by the presence of a black sooty mould on the
upper leaf surface. In severe cases, the leaves turn completely black due
to the presence of mould over the entire surface of twigs and leaves.
Although the fungus is non – pathogenic,
causes no direct damage, but the
photosynthetic activity of the leaf is adversely
affected due to mould formation.
The fungus is responsible for this sooty mould formation. Honey dews
secretions from sap sucking insects stick to the leaf surface and provide
necessary medium for fungal growth
Freshly secreted
“Honeydew” on Mango
leaves
Sooty Mould Disease in Mango

28. Cell sap sucking insects of Mango, responsible for SOOTY MOULD DISEASE.
Mango Scale insects Mango Mealy Bug Mango Hopper
Sooty mould on plant foliage

29. Management of Mango Sooty Mould
Spray dilute solution of starch @ 5% on sooty mould affected leaves. The dried starch comes
off in flakes, removing along with it the sooty mould growth from infected leaves.
Control of the insect pest that is causing the fungal growth due to
honey dew secretion is necessary.
APPLICATION OF ANY OF THE FOLLOWING INSECTICIDES GIVES A GOOD CONTROL OF SUCKING PESTS:
 Buprofezin 25% SC @ 1.25ml/ l of water, 5 - 15 l per tree.
 Deltamethrin 2.8% EC @ 0.03 - 0.05% (0.33 to 0.5 ml / lit) As per field requirement.
 Dimethoate 30% EC @ 990 - 1320 ml in 600-800 l of water/acre.
 Imidacloprid 17.8% SL @ 3ml / l of water, 10 l/ tree.
 Lambda-cyhalothrin 5% EC @ 0.5 - 1.0 ml/ l of water.
 Malathion 50% EC @ 900 - 1200 ml in 600 - 800 l of water/acre.
 Monocrotophos 36% SL @ 600 - 800 ml in 200 - 800 l of water/acre.
 Oxydemeton–methyl 25% EC@ 600 - 800 ml in 600 - 800 l of water / acre.
 Thiamethaxam 30 FS (0.05%)
Ants often act as carrying agent of sap sucking insects like Mealy bug and Scale insects. So
control of ants by using suitable insecticides gives control of Sooty Mould.

30. Mango Die Back c.o. Lasiodiplodia theobromae / Botryodiplodia theobromae (fungi)
Mango die back is one of the serious fungal diseases of mango. The disease on the tree
may be noticed at any time of the year but it is most conspicuous during October -
November.
The term 'Die back' implies death of a plant from top down wards.
It is characterized by drying back of twigs from top to downwards, particularly in older
trees, followed by drying of leaves which gives an appearance of fire scorch
The infected plants show abundant gum secretion from branches, stem, and main trunk
Internal browning in wood tissue is observed when it is slit open along with the long axis.
The affected leaf turns brown and its margins roll upwards. Cracks appear on
branches and at this stage, leaf falls and twig / branch dies.

31. Mango Die-back Disease Symptoms
Infected young plant Infected older plant

32. Mango Die-back Disease Symptoms
Exudation of gumLongitudinal splitting of the stem Browning of vascular tissues

33. 1. Scion wood selected for propagation through grafting should be
free from infection.
2. Pruning of the diseased twigs 2-3 inches below the affected
portion and spraying Copper Oxychloride (0.3%) on infected trees
controls the disease. In small plants, the cut ends of the pruned
twigs are pasted with Copper Oxychloride paste (0.3%).
3. In severe case of infestation, the infected branches are removed
by the process, as mentioned earlier and the top soil under the
canopy of the diseased tree is removed up to a depth of 9 inches
and refilled with canal silt, recommended doses of N – P – K (in
the form of chemical fertilizer, and Farm Yard Manure). Then the
plant is sprayed with 0.3 – 0.4 % copper oxy-chloride fungicide
thrice at 15 days interval.
4. In nursery, any infected portion should immediately be pruned,
followed by spraying/ pasting of copper oxychloride (0.3 %) or
pasting with cow dung at the cut ends.
Control of Mango Die Back Disease

34. Phoma Blight of Mango C.O. Phoma glomerata, a fungi.
It is a fungal disease of Mango, gaining economic importance
The symptoms appears only on old leaves. Initially, the spots are angular, minute, yellow to
light brown coloured with irregular shape, and scattered over leaf lamina. Later, their colour
changes to brown, having dark margins and dull grey necrotic centres. Severe infection results
defoliation.
Phoma blight infected leaves
Control
The disease can be kept
under control by spray of
Copper Oxychloride (0.3%)
just after the appearance of
the symptoms and
subsequent sprays done at 20
day intervals.

35. Bacterial Canker of Mango
c.o. Xanthomonas campestris pv. Mangiferaeindicae, a Bacteria.
It is a serious disease of Mango in India. The disease causes fruit drop
(10-70%), yield loss (10-85%) and storage rot (5 - 100%).
The disease is found on leaves, petioles, twigs, branches and fruits.
The disease symptoms first appear as minute water soaked irregular lesions on
any part of leaf / leaf lamina, which later turns into irregular necrotic
cankerous patches.
Cankerous lesions also appear on petioles, twigs and young fruits.
Disease spread is rapid during rainy days. Disease development
is favoured by high humidity (90% RH), moderate temperatures
(25 - 300 C) and high wind velocity.
Water soaked lesions also appears on fruits, which later become dark brown
to black with fruit cracking, accompanied by heavy bacterial exudation.

36. Bacterial Canker of Mango
Symptoms on Mango Leaves

37. Bacterial Canker of Mango
Symptoms on Fruit

38. Management of Bacterial Canker disease:
 Use of clean planting and grafting material and Use of certified
seedlings is recommended.
 Mango stones for raising seedlings (root stock) should always be
taken from healthy fruits.
 Two sprays of streptocycline – tetracycline mixture (90: 10) @
200-300 ppm at 20 -25 days interval reduce fruit infection. Dipping
the fruits in 200 ppm solution of plantamyxin is also effective.
 Application of Bronopol bactericide @ 1.5 g / L of water / Copper
oxy – chloride @ 5 gm / L of water over the infected plant arrests
the spreading of disease.
 Mango verities like Bombay green, fazali, Jehangir and
suvarnarekha are resistant.
Bacterial Canker of Mango

39. Grey Leaf Spot of Mango C.O. Pestalotiopsis mangliferae a fungus,
It is a fungal disease of minor status. Initially the symptoms appears on
leaves, consisting of small brown spots with greyish white centre, which
later turns to bigger spots.
Management
Foliar application of Carbendazim
0.1% after heavy rains followed by
application of wettable sulphur
0.2% before flowering controls
the disease
Disease symptoms on leaf

40. Stem End Rot of Mango
c.o. fungal complex consists of Botryodiploidia theobromae, Lasiodiplodia theobromae,
Dothiorella dominicana and Phomopsis mangiferae
 This is a post – harvest disease of Mango.
 The fruit while ripening suddenly becomes brown to black typically at stem end as the
disease symptoms appears first on pedicel part of the fruit.
 The rotting is so fast that the entire fruit rots within 2-3 days.
 The disease is observed on ripe fruits only.
Different symptoms of stem end rot on mango

41. Factors favourable for disease development:
1. Relative humidity above 80%, max. & min.
temperature around 310 C & 260 C encourage the
disease development, respectively.
2. Rains favour the disease development.
3. Nutritionally deficient plants are heavily affected.
Stem End Rot of Mango
Disease management
 Fruit should not come in contact with the soil or fallen leaves and twigs during
harvesting.
 Fruits should be harvested with 5 - 10 mm stalk.
 Pre-harvest sprays of carbendazim or thiophanate methyl (0.1 %) or copper
oxychloride (0.3%), 15 days before harvesting reduces the incidence of stem end
rot.
 Post-harvest dip of fruit in hot water containing Carbendazim or Thiophanate
methyl (0.05%) for 15 m at 52 ± 1°C controls the disease effectively.

42. Red Rust of Mango
c.o. An Algae, named Cephaleuros virescens
 This algal disease of mango has been observed in Indian sub-continent. In Bihar,
Karnataka, and U.P, this disease appeared as an epidemic form.
 The disease is characterized by initial green coloured patches, and when disease
advances, these turns into red rusty coloured spots on the leaves and young twigs.
 Reduction in photosynthetic activity and defoliation as a result of algal attack lower
vitality of the host plant as well as fruit yield.
Initial infestation Fully infected leaf Close up view of algal spot

43. The disease is more common on close plantation.
High RH and moist condition favours development of algal infection.
Red Rust of Mango
Management
It is controlled by spraying with Bordeaux mixture 1.2 % or lime -
sulphur on plant foliage.

44. Giant Mistletoe on Mango
It is a stem parasite, infect mango trees.
It attached with the branches of mango tree
by means of haustoria and derives nutrient
and water from the host plant.
Mistletoe growing on mango branches
Management of Mistletoe.
 The branches or twigs showing
the parasites should be cut about
2.5cm below the point of
attachment before berry
formation.
 The cut ends should be protected
with Bordeaux paste/ mixture.

45. Pink Disease / Thread Blight of Mango
c.o. Pellicularia salmonicolor, a fungus.
Pinkish powdery coating on twigs and branches due to profuse conidial
production by the fungi are the symptoms of this disease.
Cutting of infected branches and protecting the cut wounds with Bordeaux
paste controls the Pink Disease.

46. Scab of Mango c.o. Elsinoe mangiferae and Sphaceloma mangiferae, Fungus.
Both the leaves and fruits are affected.
The leaves become crinkled, deformed and ultimately defoliation occurs.
Grey or brownish spots develop on young fruits. As they mature, spots enlarge and skin
become corky leading to spoilage of fruits and reduction of the market value.
APPLICATION OF COPPER FUNGICIDES IS EFFECTIVE TO CONTROL THIS DISEASE.
Symptoms on leaf Symptoms on Fruits

47. Black Banded Disease of Mango
c.o. Rhinocladium corticolum, a fungus
 The disease appears on
twigs and branches of
mango.
 A black, velvety fungal
growth, covering a major
part of the bark, appears as
a black band on the branch.
These velvety spots
gradually increase in size
and encircle the trunk,
limbs, branches and twigs.
 Application of copper – oxy
chloride is effective to arrest
the spread of this disease.

48. Gummosis of Mango
Gummosis disease of mango is of great economic importance since
the affected trees die within a very short time
c. o. Lasiodiplodia theobromae, a fungi
The infected plants show abundant gum secretion from branches,
stem, and main trunk. Initially the gum appears as a small droplet.
However, as the disease progresses, it increases and covers most
of the branch and trunk.
Initial symptoms of gummosis Heavy gummosis on a branch

49. Gummosis of Mango
Different Symptoms Of Mango Gummosis
Browning of Vascular TissuesBark splitting and gum oozing out

50. Plants growing under water stress conditions show more severe
symptoms compared to regularly watered plants
Pruning of diseased twigs 2 - 3 inches below the affected
portion and paste cut portions with copper oxy chloride ( 0.3%) /
bordeaux paste.
The diseased bark portion should be removed, cleaned and
treated with copper based fungicide paste. `
Gummosis of Mango
Disease management

51. Mango Bark Cracking
Bark cracking is characterized by the development of deep
longitudinal cracks in the main branches of the tree trunk, but
without much exudation, from these longitudinal cracks.

52. Mango Decline
Several different diseases of
mango, including blight, canker,
gummosis, twig blight, tip die-back
and stem bleeding, are jointly
cause mango decline.
In most cases, the disease has
been characterized by leaf
drooping and drying; bark
splitting, gum secretion from
branches and main trunk, bud
necrosis, dieback, vascular
discoloration and death of the
whole tree.
The mango diseases incidence is
high during June, July and August
and low during cool months from
November to February. Most of the
neglected mango orchards are
susceptible to this disease.

53. Management of Mango Decline
 Alternate host trees such as Shishu, gulmohar, etc., should not be planted in
and around mango orchards.
 Soil solarization by polyethylene mulching effectively reduce the disease
incidence.
 Painting / pasting the infected tree trunks with the Bordeaux mixture twice a
year and Two foliar sprays with Thiophanate-methyl fungicide @1 g L-1 or
foliar spray with Carbendazim @ 0.1%, or Chlorothalonil @ 0.2% at
fortnightly interval helps in reducing the fungal infection in mango plants.
 The diseased branches should be pruned and the cut portions are pasted with
the Bordeaux mixture/ Bordeaux paste / Copper oxy chloride paste.
 The bark beetles, stem borer / caterpillar borers are the carriers of this fungus
for which trunk spray may be done at regular intervals with long residual
insecticdies, like chlorpyriphos, cyfluthrin, alphamethrin etc.
 The orchard was also found to be free from termite attack especially after
planting turmeric as intercrop in mango.