Mango Malformation Disease
Mango Malformation Disease is one of the most common fungal diseases in mango plants that can cause serious damage to plants. Malformation disease is due to the bacteria Fusarium Mangifera. Symptoms of the disease appear throughout the plant, affecting the flowers, leaves, and twigs of the mango tree. This disease mainly affects small plants. So this mango disease affects mango production all over the world. The chemical Control method is the best way to control mango malformation.
Malformation Symptoms
Symptoms of mango malformation disease can be clearly seen in the growth of flowers and twigs. Flowers are most affected by this disease mango. Infected flower petals grow more but are not able to bear fruit. The affected leaves are very small in size and curved upwards.
- The most visible aspect of the afflicted plant is the flowers.
- The panicles, or flower stalks, shrink, thicken, and branch out in unusual ways, ultimately yielding three times as many blossoms as usual.
- There is the possibility of larger, sterile blooms.
- Panicles with this condition sometimes produce disproportionately more male flowers than normal, and their panicles may have abnormally small and deformed leaves rather than flowers.
- The apexes of growth (buds) provide ungainly stems with short internodes and fragile leaves.
- The leaves recurve towards the stem, giving the plant a squat, bunchy appearance, and are much smaller than those of healthy plants.
- However old a mango tree is, it is susceptible to the deformation disease known as mango bloat.
- The disease can cause aberrant development of leaves, stems, and flowers in mature plants.
- Stunting from abnormal leaf development can have a devastating effect on nursery plants (seedlings and young trees).
Mango Malformation Life Cycle
The disease is spread by Conidia. The mango malformation disease fungus causes a large number of conidia on male leaves and flowers that affect the tree. It first affects the fresh leaves and flowers but gradually spreads to the whole tree. Conidia germs can survive on dead leaves, fruits, and twinges for a long time and re-attack in a suitable environment.
- Plant tissue, both living and dead, that has been affected by a fungus, such as a deformed floral panicle, produces fungal spores (conidia).
- Age increases the number of fungal spores produced by floral panicles that are malformed.
- We know very little about how diseases spread from tree to tree or within trees themselves.
- Buds of new plants are particularly vulnerable to infection.
- At the bud stage of the flower or stem, the fungus appears to germinate and colonize the host tissue before retreating elsewhere in the plant.
- Within infected orchards, the disease moves very slowly from plant to plant.
- The disease may lie dormant for years before presenting any noticeable signs.
- Fruit and seeds are not a vector for the disease.
How to Spread Mango Malformation Disease
Grafting with contaminated bud wood can propagate mango malformation disease. Diseases can be transported great distances on contaminated bud wood or entire plants. In order to stop the spread of a disease that causes deformed mangoes, Queensland has implemented a movement ban. The disease moves slowly within an orchard. Air currents, dew drops, rain splashes, and falling contaminated plant debris are all capable of transporting the fungal spores (conidia) between trees and within forests. Aceria mangiferae, or mango bud mites, are suspected of contributing to the localized dissemination of spores on mango plants. Growing seedlings and young trees under the canopies of sick mango trees may explain reports of severe infection in nursery plants in other countries.
Mango Malformation Treatment
Observe the mango orchard carefully when the leaves and flowers are coming out. If there are more flowers and leaves on a single branch or more flowers than usual, then it is a sign of mango malformation disease. Also, observe the leaves carefully. If the leaves look curved, then this is also a sign of disease. To control it, immediately remove the dry leaves and herbs from the field. If the disease is severe, use chemical control. Separate diseased twigs from the tree.
Management Practices to Control Mango Malformation
Plants from disease- and pest-free nurseries should be used to ensure that mango malformation disease does not spread to your property. You should never harvest grafting or marcot material from a diseased orchard. Mango malformation disease poses a threat to nurseries, hence they should not be set up in afflicted orchards. Pruning tools should be thoroughly cleaned between trees to prevent the transmission of pests and diseases. You and your farmhands need to be well-versed on the signs of mango malformation disease and other mango pests to protect your crop. Before entering or leaving your farm, take precautions to disinfect all personnel, vehicles, and machinery.
Mango Malformation Chemical Control
Mango Malformation Disease Chemical control, Naphthalene Acetic Acid reduces the occurrence of the disease. Usage of Fungicide Spray with Zinc, Boron, and Copper earlier before blooming and after fruit harvesting has reduced the losses of mango malformation.