Diseases of High Value Crops

CACAO POD ROT

The most common species of pod rot disease is Phytopthora palmivora Butler. In the Philippines, the aforementioned disease threatens the cacao production which contributes high annual losses. In all cacao producing countries worldwide, the losses can be accounted to 20-25% of total cacao production. The effect of climate on the epidemic process are only known at a macroscopic level in cacao-producing zone.

BUGTOK DISEASE OF CARDAVA BANANA

The Bugtok disease in cardava was first reported in the Philippines in 1950s particularly in the region of Mindanao which found in Davao City, Davao Orriental, Davao del Norte and Davao del Sur, and in Bukidnon which widely distributed throughout the Philippines, especially in the Island of Mindanao.

COFFEE RUST

Coffee leaf rust has been destroyed nearly all trees in the Philippines specifically in the Province of Batangas in the year 1889 which one of the country top-producing in terms of coffee. This pathogen severely infect the variety of coffee Robusta which particularly cultivated in wetter conditions that are more suited for the pathogen to infect.

LANZONES LEAFBRIGHT

Leafblight of lanzones caused by Fusarium moniliforme. Early symptoms are the presence of irregular brownish lesions which enlarge enlarge and dry up. The infected leaves eventually withers and falls. In favourable condition, presence of pinkish-white, hairy growth on surface of the infected tissue were visible.

RUBBER CORYNESPORA LEAF FALL DISEASE

The disease is caused by a fungus, Corynespora cassiicola (Berk. & M.A. Curtis) C.T. Wei. Continuous falling of the leaves leads to a delay in growth, increased period of immature stage, dieback of shoots and branches or may even cause mortality of rubber trees.  Corynespora leaf fall disease was reported to have occurred in major rubber-producing countries in Southeast Asia, specifically, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and Philippines .

SOOTY MOLD OF POMELO

Sooty mold belong to different families of Dothidealis, a spropic ascomycetes. Sooty molds are not plant pathogenic, hence they do not penetrate the leaf surface. The mycelium of a sooty mold is composed of a weft of dark hyphae, which may be several millimeters thick and produces three different asexual forms.