Low production likely as 30-40pc dates, mango hit by fungus

SUKKUR: About 30 to 40% of dates and mango products became victims of fungal affecting high production.Reports said that growers of the dates palm had submitted complaints of the mysterious diseases hitting their dates palm.

Reports said that a team of experts led by Abbas Ali Korai, Principal Scientist /Director (Nematology Research Institute, SHEC Mirpurkhas visited different areas of progressive growers of District Khairpur for observation.

They observed that out of 25 acres approximately 20-25 plants of date palm were affected by sudden decline disease due to rainwater during the monsoon season-2022.In mango orchards, approximately 10 per cent was affected by Gamosis due to the stagnant rainwater of the 2022 monsoon season. Citrus plants were planted on the boundary line of the mango orchard.

The date palm plants were found highly affected showing drying and wilt symptoms appearance, orange-yellowish colouring for the fronds’ midrib.The observers said that such symptom starts from outer-lower frond whorls toward central younger fronds.

Within a single frond, drying begins from the terminal part to cover the whole frond. Eventually, the entire frond turns to a pale brown hitting tree within a few months.“This always happens when irrigation water or rainwater standing in the field for about 1 to 3 months continuously and no proper drainage system after the rain. Intercropping is also a big source of disease.

The disease incidence% was recorded at the range of 5-30% at different spots. The experts of different lines visited the affected orchards of date palm and the preventive measures were also shared among the growers.”

The soil and affected product samples were collected from each field for the proper diagnosis and fertilizer requirements. Some specimens were brought to the mycological laboratory at Plant Disease Research Institute and processed for the isolation of causal pathogens.