Major Diseases of Chili and Their Management

The area and production under the fruit and vegetable crops indicate that there is an ample scope to increase per hectare tonnage, but the attack of pest and diseases is one of the major constraints that attribute low yield. Among fungal diseases, damping off, leaf spot, anthracnose, dieback, powdery mildew, and fruit rot important in India, whereas among bacterial diseases, bacterial canker, bacterial spot, bacterial wilt, seedling blight and leaf spot. Post-emergence damping-off is characterized by the development of disease after seedlings have emerged out of soil surface, but before the stems are lignified lesion formed at collar region. Sow high-quality seed to help produce pathogen-free transplants. Remove, destroy all infected plant material, and establish a crop rotation to break disease cycle. Bacterial canker is caused by Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis. The bacteria can live from season to season in or on the seed, diseased plant debris in soil, Infected seed or seedlings are the primary source of this pathogen.