Symptoms

• Dark brown lesions at the collar region
• Yellowing, drooping and defoliation of leaves
• Shredding of bark
• Rotten roots and stem tissues harbours sclerotia
• Plant can be easily pulled out
• Pods open prematurely
• Pycnidia seen on infected capsules and seeds

Identification of pathogen

• Mycelium : Dark brown and septate
• Sclerotia : Minute, dark round.
• Pycnidia : Dark brown and globose
• Pycnidiospores : Thin walled, hyaline, single celled and elliptical

Sclerotia

Favourable Conditions

• Day temperature of 30˚C and above.
• Prolonged drought followed by copious irrigation.

Mode of Spread and Survival

• Dormant sclerotia in soil as well as infected plant debris.
• Primary spread: Air borne pycnidiospores and sclerotia through irrigation water.

• Crop rotation.
• Early planting i.e. immediately after onset of monsoon.
• Destruction of crop residues.
• Seed treatment with Trichoderma viride@ 4 g/kg
• Soil application of T. viride@ 2.5 kg/ ha with 500 kg FYM @ 30 days after sowing.
• Spot drench with carbendazim50 WP @ 1 g/l of water.