Vol. 12, Issue 4 (2023)

Author(s):
Deepali Mohapatra, Shyama Sundar Mahapatra and Lipikant Sahoo

Abstract:
Anthurium ranks ninth in the global flower trade and commands a fair price for both cut flowers and whole plants. As in the most other cultivated plants, Anthurium plant too is subjected to attack by various pathogens during its growth period. Among all the diseases, leaf blight disease caused by Helminthosporium sp. is newly emerging threat to all the Anthurium growers of Odisha. Initially typical brown spots began as a water-soaked lesion on the upper surface of the leaves, which usually developed from the tip or along the margin of the upper surface of the leaf. The size of these spots grew larger with age, until two or more spots merged and formed elongated reddish brown necrotic patches surrounded by a yellow halo. The centres of such spots eventually turned greyish white, with a small brown zone surrounding them. The pathogenicity of the isolated fungi Helminthosporium sp. was proved on potted Anthurium plants.