Diseases of Bhendi

         Bhendi or Okra, botanically known as Abelmosches esculentus, a popular vegetable known for its delicacy and nutrition. Mucilaginous  and fibrous pods of the okra plants, containing full of seeds is used as vegetable to prepare variety of dishes. The plant is well known for its ability to tolerate draught like conditions. India is the largest producer of bhindi, contribution around 60 % of total production. Other major producers are Nigeria and Mali. Being a crop of  tropical and warm temperate climate, okra suffers quite a few number of diseases. Important among them are wilt, leaf spots and yellow mosaics. 

Fungal Diseases of Bhendi:

             The fungus Fusarium oxysporium is the causal organism of the disease. The incidence of disease is initially symptomatic of drooping and yellowing of lower leaves. Later, the leaves start rolling and drying. When disease advances, entire plant may wilt and die. Longitudinal sectioning of affected stem may show dark streaks or reddish brown decays. The pathogens causing the disease is soil borne one. Thus hibernate in soil and become active when come in contact with plant roots and there they enters the plant system and start multiplying rapidly.

Management: If we take management part into consideration, the disease is better managed by rotation of crop with the other species not belonging to family Malvaceae by  breaking  the disease cycle. Mulching the field with polythene sheets to increase soil temperature, thus induces killing of pathogens. Treating the seed with Tricoderma viridae @20kg/seed has been found effective. Deep summer ploughing holds good to  some extent. Cultivation of some resistant varieties like Pusa Sawani and Pusa Makhmali is a good bet.

Cercospora leaf spot: It  is one of the major leaf spot disease in okra. Okra, being succulent plant with broad leaves, attracts many leaf spot causing fungal pathogens. Like any other Malvaceaen vegetables, get affected by pathogens like  Cercospora abelmoshi,  C.hibisci, C.hibisciana and C.malayensis. Symptoms caused by them slightly varies, though they produce spots on lower surface leaves with formation of sooty mold. Spots may be irregular, with pale or brown center with darker margins. In advanced stage they enlarge, coalesce leading to rolling and wilting of leaves.

Management: Uprooting and destruction of affected plant may reduce the spread of the disease. Regular foliar spray  with fungicides like Mancozeb, Zineb, Copper Oxy chloride will take care of the disease.

 Damping of seedlings is one such disease which affects seedling stage, caused by Phytopthera sps. Crowding of plants and excess moisture may aggrandize the conditions.

Phoma canker one of the post harvest disease in okra, caused by Phoma exigua. Black lesions are formed on fruits with white mycelia covering them. Fruits become soft and start rotting. Excess humidity, presence of bruised fruits, mis-handling of consignments in transport and storage may cause huge loss.

Fusarium Wilt in Bhendi:

Viral Diseases of Bhendi

             Yellow Vain mosaic is an  important disease caused by Virus in Bhendi. The disease is characteristics of Veinal chlorosis. The veins and veinlets of affected plants become thickened and conspicuous. As disease advances chlorosis extend to interveinal portion. In severe cases entire leaf becomes yellowish. The disease may affect any stage of the growth, irrespective of the season. If the crop affected in early stages becomes disaster leading poor plant growth and meagre, malformed fruitings.

The yellow vein mosaic disease usually vectored by sap sucking insects like white flies and leaf hoppers.

 Management of disease: Successful management of the disease lies with the control of its transmitters like whiteflies and hoppers. Spraying with suitable insecticides at seedling stage itself essential to control any sap sucking insects infesting.  Keeping the cultivation field and surroundings weed free and leaving no scope for alternate host plants makes the disease management easier.

Nematode infestation in Bhendi

                  Meladogyne incognita and Meladogyne javanica are the important nematodes affecting okra. These forms knots or galls in plant roots and interfere with water and nutrient uptake. The affected plants show less vigour, slow growth, pale leaves. The more striking factor is, the crop become more susceptible to fungal and bacterial infection.   Under severe conditions,  leaves droop, plants wilts and galls decays. Thus attracts many saprophytic pathogens.   Younger affected plants shows severe symptoms rather older counterparts.

Management of  Nematodes in Okra:  Rotation with other crops have not found much effective as the nematodes have wide range of host plant. Rotating  the infected field with paddy grown in water- stagnated conditions has shown some effect.   Growing the bhendi crop intercropped with Marigold also recommended as the later produce nematode repelling root exudates. Use of some biocontrol agents like fungus Paecilomyces lilacinus and Bacteria like Bacillus penetrans  have been found effective in controlling nematodes in Okra. Application of  neem cake @ 25kg/ha followed by 120 kg of Nitrogen/ha has been found as a good way to manage nematode infestation.  Chemically, application of systemic soil nematicides like Phorate or  Aldicarb @ 25kg / ha has shown considerable success in managing nematode infestation.