What is in news : Pepper growers of Mangaluru are worried as the crops are being affected by ‘Soragu Raga’ (bacterial wilt) following incessant rainfall in the region.

About :

The wilting disease

• Manifested by wilting the leaves and stems of affected plants
• Causes the sudden stop of sap circulation in the vessels of diseased plants because of several possible species of pathogenic bacteria
• Can lead to the rapid death of plants.

Causes : Enterobacteriaceae, Erwinia tracheophyta, and Burkholderiaceae, Ralstonia solanacearum.

Plants Susceptible To Bacterial Wilt

• Melon and cucumber are particularly sensitive, squash and watermelon a little less.
• Solanaceae crops (tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, peppers) and olive, banana, tobacco are potential victims of Ralstonia solanacearum.

Symptoms and Damage of Bacterial Wilt

• The first symptoms appear on isolated leaves or stems, then the whole plant wilts and dies. When the stems of these plants are cut, they can exude a creamy white sap.
• Because of the attack Erwinia Tracheophyta, the wilting can limit to a few stolons of melon and immediately invade the plant, and eventually plant dies. On large leaves first appears peripheral chlorosis, then they become necrotic.
• On tomatoes, Ralstonia solanacearum also causes wilting of leaves and stems, but also the appearance of a bunch of adventitious roots near the soil. This same bacterium causes flowering of the seed potatoes, but also a dark brown vascular ring from which can escape the infected sap of cream color. As for potatoes, when the infection is very advanced, they exude the same whitish liquid from their eyes and their attachment heel.