Diseases of Radish
1.Alternaria Blight :Alternaria raphani
Symptoms
The pathogen affects leaves, stem, pods and seeds. Symptoms of the disease first appear on the leaves of seed stem in the form of small, yellowish, slightly raised lesions. Lesions appear later on the stems and seed pods. Infection spreads rapidly during rainy weather, and the entire pod may be so infected that the style end becomes black and shriveled. The fungus penetrates in pod tissues, ultimately infecting the seeds. The infected seed fails to germinate.
Pathogen
A. raphani conidia are 70 – 115 x 14 – 18 micron in size.
Mode of spread and survival
It is seed borne. The fungi subsistas mycelium in the infected plant refuse. They also survive in susceptible weeds or perennial crops. The conidia are borne abundantly in moist atmosphere and are disseminated readily by air currents.
Management
Spraying with Mancozeb 0.25 %\
2.White Rust: Albugo candida
Symptoms
Disease attacks the leaves and flowering shoots. Affected flowering shoots get deformed and bear only malformed flowers. White powdery substance in patches is observed on the under surface of the leaves.
Pathogen
Here, Pathogen is an obligate parasite; Mycelium is intercellular producing knob shaped haustoria in the host cells. Each sporangium has 4 to 8 zoospores.
Mode of Spread and Survival
Over wintering may be through oospores in plant debris in the soil and mixed with seeds and perennial mycelium in weed hosts are primary source of inoculum.
Management
Regular spraying with Mancozeb 0.25 % effectively controls the disease.
