CPCRI advisory on fruit rot disease in arecanut plantation

The Kasaragod-based Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI) has issued an advisory on the measures to be taken to control the fruit rot disease in arecanut plantations.

An advisory issued by Anitha Karun, Director of CPCRI, said that prophylactic measures such as spraying of fungicide and crown cleaning have to be taken before the onset of monsoon against fruit rot disease in arecanut plants and bud rot disease in coconut plants.

During monsoon, the atmospheric temperature will be low and the relative humidity will be high. These factors result in increased incidence of diseases such as fruit rot in arecanut and bud rot in coconut.

The advisory recommended that one per cent of Bordeaux mixture be sprayed on the inflorescences in the case of arecanut plants.

For coconut, it said that one per cent of Bordeaux mixture should be sprayed after cleaning the coconut crown before the start of monsoon, and repeat it after an interval of 45 days.

Cloudy and rainy days should be avoided for spraying, the advisory said.

Bordeaux is a mixture of copper sulphate and calcium oxide in water.