PROTECT MUSKMELON CROP FROM DISEASES – PAU EXPERT

LUDHIANA, APRIL 27:



The recent surveys conducted by PAU Plant Pathologists in the muskmelon growing areas of Jalandhar and Amritsar districts revealed that the crop has been affected by diseases such as downy mildew and cucumber mosaic virus. Divulging this, Dr T.S. Thind, Head of the Department informed that both these diseases have appeared in severe form in the villages of Nihaloowal, Wara Jagir, Chuk Chela and Seechewal in Jalandhar. In the villages of Talwandi Madho, Kularan and Kotli Hara, disease is at initial stage and could spread fast if appropriate control measures are not taken timely, said he, adding that the affected muskmelon cultivars are Namdhari, Golden Glory, Farm Golden and Kesar. In Amritsar district, cucumber crop near Mannawala has also been attacked by downy mildew. He added that muskmelon; an important cucurbitaceous crop of Punjab is being grown over an area of 985 ha in the state and suffers heavy losses due to appearance of important diseases like downy mildew and cucumber mosaic virus.



Cautioning the farmers, he told that farmers in the district of Kapurthala, Jalandhar and Amritsar take early crop of cucumber by growing plants under the plastic tunnels during winter and disease appears quite early during the month of January. From cucumber, the disease spreads on the following muskmelon crop, said the PAU expert and disclosed that frequent rain and high relative humidity during the past days have provided suitable environment for the development of downy mildew disease. The disease has appeared on the muskmelon crop in the farmers' fields. It can be recognized by appearance of yellow patches/spots on the upper surface of lower leaves, said he adding that these spots ultimately turn necrotic and dark brown. To check the spread of the disease, Dr Thind advised the farmers to spray Indofil M-45 @ 300-600g in 100-200 litres of water per acre depending upon the growth stage and repeat the sprays at weekly intervals. Where the disease has already appeared, spray the crop with Ridomil MZ @ 500g/acre in 200 litres of water at 10 days interval, added he.



Alerting the farmers, Dr. Thind said that the cucumber mosaic virus, another important disease of muskmelon, is a seed-borne viral disease. Apart from this, many weeds and cultivated cucurbits serve as source of the virus. When virus infected seed is sown, the seedlings exhibit symptoms of green and yellow patches on the leaves. Dr Thind added that under severe cases, the leaves are malformed and reduced to finger like projections. In certain cases, dark green blisters may also be produced on leaves and fruits. Aphid, an insect vector, helps in the spread of the disease in the field. He suggested the farmers to procure healthy seed from the certified seed agencies. Apart from this, if affected plants appear at the initial stage in the field, they should be rogued out and destroyed to check further spread of the virus which is transmitted by aphids, told he, advising that the population of aphids should also be checked by spraying 250 ml of Malathion 50 EC in 100 litres of water per acre. For further query the growers can contact the experts at the Krishi Vigyan Kendras in different districts or the department of Plant Pathology at telephone No.0161-2401960/319.
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