Pests and Diseases of Cardamom

Sr.No.

Name of Pests/Diseases

Symptoms and damage

Management

1.

Thrips
Scothrips
cardomomi

Wilting of panicles, scabbing and splitting of capsules. Adults and larvae lecerate and feed on plant sap from tender shoots, panicles and capsules

Regulate shade in the plantation. Spray Monocrotophos (0.025%) or Quinolphos (0.025%) or Phosalone (0.07%) or Fenthion (0.05%) during March, April, May, august and September. Remove dry leaf sheaths before first spray.

2.

Shoot and capsule border Conogethes punctiferalis

Yellow / withered central leaft bore hole on capsules and pseudostems with extrusion of frass. Larvae bore into panicles, capsules and pseudostema and feed on internal tissues.

Spray Monocrotophos (0.075%) or Fanthion (0.075%) during January – February and September – October

3.

Root grub
Basilepla
fulvicome

Stunted plants with yellow leaves. Larvase feed on leaves and rhizomes and retard plant growth.

Collect and destory adult beetles during peak periods of emergence. Apply Phorate 10G @ 20 – 40 g/ clump.

4.

Hairy caterpillar
Eupterote
Spp. Lenddera vittala

Larva defoliate plants

Lure adults to light traps and destory. Spray Quinolphos (0.05%)

5

Mosaie or
Katte disease
Poly virus Y.
Vector
Pentalonia
nigroneuvosal
sp. Caladii

Discontinuous chlorotic spindle shaped stripes on leaves running parallel to veins. These merge later to give mosaic symptom Affected plants gradualls become stunted with few slender tillers. Reduction in size and number of panicles 

Eradicate disease affected clups and replant disease free plants in a phased manner. Avoid raising nurseries near disease affected plantation. Avoid collecting planting material from diseased gardens.

6

Vein clearing
‘Kokke kandu’
Vector
Pentalonia
anigronervosai
sp. Caladii

Vein elearing symptoms on leaves, the affected clumps produce hook like shoots (unfurled leaves). Leaf molting and shredding. Quick decline and death of clumps result in poor yield.

Gollow disease management practices as that of ‘Katte’

7

Capsul rot
‘Azhukal’
Phytophora
medii, P. Nicoliane var. nicotianner

Small water soaked lesions on capsules which expend imparting dull green to brownish colour, capsule rots emitting foul smell. Dark brown lesions appear on rachis also. Water soaked lesions appear on leaves which expend. Occassionally pseudostems / roots also show rotting

 Remove affected capsules / spikes / clumps from the plantation before the onset of monsoon. Regulate shade by pruning branches of overhead shade trees. Spray on foliage and spikes with 1% Bordeaux Mixture once during May – June and again druing Aug. – Sept. Drench the base of clump with 0.2% copper oxychloride @ 3 1 / clump.

8.

Clump rot and damping off Pythium vexans
Rhizoctonal
Solani

Young seedlings in the nursery rot at the collar and die

Nursery beds are mixed with bio – control inoculum (T. harzianum) @ 50 g/m3 before sowing.