MOST COMMON DISEASES OF MANGO AND THEIR CONTROL

Black-tip
The first symptom of the disease is the development of a small aetiolater area at the distal-end of fruits which show an intensification of the normal green colour against the general green colour of the skin. Later affected area spreads, turns nearly black and covers the tip completely, The infected fruits do not ripe properly.
Control: The incidence of black tip can be minimized by spraying of borax (1%). The first spray should be done positively at pea-sized stage, followed by 2 more sprays at 15 days interval. Planting of mango orchard in north-south direction and 5-6 km away from the brick kilns reduces the incidence of black tip to a greater extent.

Anthracnose
Caused by Colletotrichum gleosporioides, it affects leaves, petioles, twigs, blossoms and fruits. The symtoms appear as oval or irregular vinaceous brown to deep brown spots of various sizes scattered all over the leaf sufraces. Under damp conditions, the fungus grows rapidly forming elongated, brown, necrotic areas measuring 20-25 mm in diameter. Petioles, when affected, turn grey or black. The leaves droop down, slowly dry up and ultimately fall-off, leaving a black scar on twigs. Disease produces elongated black necrotic areas on twigs. The tip of very young branches start drying from tip downwards showing characteristic symptoms of wither tip. Young leaves are more prone to attack than the older ones. The earliest symptoms of the disease are the production of blackish-brown specks on peduncle and flowers. Small, black spots appear on panicles and open flowers, which gradually enlarge and coalesce to cause drying of flowers.
Initially the sopts are round but later coalesce to form large irregular botches. The spots have large, deep cracks and the fungus penetrates deep into the fruit causing extensive rotting.
Control: Diseased leaves, twigs and fruits, lying on the floor of the orchard, shoud be collected and burnt. All infected twigs from the tree should be pruned and burnt.
Blossom/foliar infection can be controlled effectively by spraying of Carbendazim (0.1%) or copper oxychloride (0.3%) twice at 15 days interval. Hot-water treatment at 52°C for 30 minutes gives good control to anthracnose. However, its duration can be reduced to 15 minutes by supplementing with Carbendazim or thiophanate methyle (0.1%).

Malformation
It is caused by Fusarium subglutinans. Vegetative malformation is pronounced in young seedlings. The affected seedlings develop excessive vegetative growth. The internodes are of limited growth and short. These form buches of various sizes which are often produced on the top of the seedlings giving bunchy-top appearance.
The characteristic symptom of floral malformation is reduction in length of the primary axis and the secondary branches of the panicle which make the flowers appear in clusters. The flower buds are transformed into vegetative buds. A large number of small leaves and stems, characterized by appreciable reduced internodes, give an appearance of withers broom like appearance.
Control : Application of NAA (200ppm) in the first week of October followed by deblossoming in late-December or January reduces its incidence. The floral malformed panicles/ vegetative malformed shoots should be pruned regularly and burnt.