Studies on the grey leaf blight disease of Coconut palm caused by Pestalotia palmarum Cooke.

Abstract

An investigation was carried out in the palms at the Coconut Research Station, Balaramapuram during the months of May, June, July, August and September of 1976 to study the influence of different nutrients on the intensity of disease caused by Pestalotia palmarum. The experiment was conducted on the palms which were treated with different combinations of NPK in a 3 confounded factorial design . Morphological characters of different species of Pestalotia were also studied along with this investigation. Highest degree of infection was noticed in the month of June and the lowest in September. Higher disease intensity was noted in the palms which were treated with 1 level of nitrogen, 2 levels of phosphorus and 2 levels of potassium than in these that were treated with 0 level of nitrogen, 1 level of phosphorus and 0 level of potassium.