FOREST DISEASE MANAGEMENT

DISEASES OF Terminalia chebula :

Leaf Rust disease:
            Uredo terminaliae causes leaf rust disease on clonal plants of Terminalia chebula in the research nursery of State Forest Department, Coimbatore (Mohan and Manokaran, 2005).

Symptoms:
            The disease (less than 25%) started appearing during the month of November.  Very severe infection (95%) was noticed during January.  Infected leaves were plastered with light brown to yellowish brown fruit bodies of the pathogen at the lower surface of the leaves. The corresponding upper surface showed greyish brown appearance.  Severely infected plants showed premature defoliation.

Control Measures:
            At the initial stage of the infection, the affected portions of the leaves were slightly trimmed off and application with sulphur based fungicide (Sulfax @ 0.05% a.i.) as foliar spray and soil drenching at fortnightly intervals are found very effective in controlling disease problem. After 30 days of fungicidal application, the seedlings were applied with biocontrol agents such as Pseuodomonas fluorescence and Trichoderma viride for effective management of the disease.