Epidemiological studies on foliar diseases of groundnut in Konkan region

Abstract

Groundnut (Arachis hypogia L.) is the thirteenth most important crop plant grown for food in the tropical, subtropical, and temperate zones of the world. It is extensively grown in India. A foliar disease of groundnut is one of the important factors limiting groundnut productivity in India. In the course of Kharif, 2010, early leaf spot progress was highly influenced by average temperature and crop age and, for late-leaf growth, maximum and crop age were very advantageous for epidemiologic studies on the early, late spot and rust disease with respect to weather parameters. Moreover, the evaporation rate and crop age played a predominant role in rust development in groundnut under Dapoli conditions. The correlation studies between pod yield with early, late leaf spots and rust diseases showed that pod yield is positively correlated with the haulm yield, whereas negatively correlated with early leaf spot, late leaf spot, and rust diseases indicating that these diseases collectively influence the yield and hence timely control of these diseases is essential.