SURVEY OF CHILLI ANTHRACNOSE; POTENTIAL THREAT TO CHILLI CROPS A FOCUS ON PUNJAB, PAKISTAN

Abstract

Chilli anthracnose is widely distributed and economically important disease which affects the crop at pre and post-harvest crop stages. Disease is caused by Colletotrichum capsici and C. gloeosporoides which produce small, circular black spots with concentric rings of acervuli on fruit skin which turn the fruit black. Field survey was conducted in five major chilli growing districts of Punjab province viz., Rawalpindi, Kasur, Vehari, Okara, Multan and Bahawal Nagar to access the disease incidence and severity. The study revealed variations in mean disease incidence and severity levels in the five visited districts. The mean disease incidence was highest in Kasur district (85.1%) followed by 81.83% in Vehari district. Of the five districts, minimum mean disease incidence was observed in Rawalpindi district (37%). The maximum disease severity (74.6%), measured in terms of fruit area infected from Kasur district followed by 72.83% from Vehari district and minimum severity was observed 35% in Rawalpindi district. It reveals predominance presence of the anthracnose disease as a major constraint to chilli cultivation.