Citrus Withertip

History and Importance:

Etiology:

Causal organism: Colletotrichum gloeosporides

Symptoms:

  • Shedding of leaves and die back of twigs.
  • Dead twigs give silvery appearance.
  • Reddish brown stain (color) on fruit rind*(outer skin of fruit).

Disease cycle:

  • Infected twigs and branches are source of infection.
  • Spores spread through air to new plantation.
  • Wounds provide the entry points for the pathogen.

Epidemiology:

  • Temperature 22-26°C
  • High relative humidity

Management:

  • Pruning of infected twigs and branches followed by spray of fungicides.
  • Bordeaux paste at 1:2:12, i.e. 1 kg of copper sulphate and 2 kg of lime mixed in 12 litres of water.
  • Spray of 0.33% prenox.
  • Spray copper based fungicides e.g. copper oxychloride 3 ml per litre of water starting in July and repeat twice with an interval of 21 days. Difenoconazole 3ml per litre of water also show good results.
  • Avoid overhead irrigation

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