• The first symptoms include browning and drooping of affected leaves.
• As the disease spreads into the shoots, they become dry and die.
• The entire branch can die from the tip downward.
• Dying branches often have cankers—shallow, slowly spreading lesions surrounded by a thick area of bark.

Browning	Dried leaves	Stem canker	Infected field

Life cycle

• The fungus produces spores on small, pear-shaped pycnidia on dead branches.
• Spores are spread when splashed by rain and can survive for several weeks on pruned branches left in the field.
• The fungus usually requires wounded plant tissue to gain entry and initiate infection.

Management

• Plant in well draining, acidic soils.
• Remove diseased twigs by cutting several inches below cankered areas and disinfecting them.
• Spray appropriate protective fungicides during periods of wet weather or natural leaf drop to protect leaf scars from infection

Content validator: Dr. M. Deivamani, Assistant Professor, Horticulture Research Station, Yercaud-636602.