A survey on the incidence of bacterial blight Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. punicae of Pomegranate in Tamil Nadu

Abstract

Bacterial blight of Pomegranate caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. Punicae (X. axonopodis pv. Punicae) is one of the quit major diseases of pomegranate during 2002 in India. A detailed roving survey was conducted to assess the incidence of bacterial blight in major pomegranate growing areas of Tamil Nadu viz Erode, Theni, Krishnagiri, Coimbatore, Dindigul, and Tirunelveli districts. The maximum disease incidence was observed in the Manupatty village of Tiruppur district on pomegranate variety Ganesh (35 %) with the disease severity of 25 per cent in leaves followed by Chennampatti village of Erode district. The maximum incidence of bacterial blight of pomegranate fruits recorded in the Sivagiri village of Erode district (24 %) with severity of 20 per cent in fruits followed by Manupatty village of Tiruppur district. Hence the bacterial blight incidence was high in the leaf when compare to fruits in all the areas surveyed.