Symptom

• Small, pale to brown, irregular or round spots, appear on the leaves.
• Each spot has a central lesion surrounded by concentric rings.
• Several spots coalesce together to form blighted areas.
• The affected leaves become brittle and fall off.
• The spots also appear on bracts and bolls.

Survival and Mode of Spread

• The pathogen survives in the infected crop debris as dormant mycelium.
• Primary spread is through infected crop debris.
• Secondary spread is through air-borne conidia.

Favourable Conditions

• High humidity, intermittent rains and moderate temperature of 25-28 ⁰C.

Management

• Remove and destroy the infected plant residues.
• Perform deep ploughing during summer.
• Avoid seeds from infected crop.
• Spray Copper oxychloride @ 500 g or Chlorothalonil @ 200 g or Difenaconazole @ 100 ml or Kresoxim methyl @ 200 ml or Tebuconazole @ 200 ml or Trifloxystrobin + Tebuconazole @ 120g or Propiconazole @ 100 ml or Metiram 55% + Pyraclostrobin 5% WG @ 100 g or Fluxapyroxad 167 g/l + Pyraclostrobin 333 g/l SC @ 150 g or Pyraclostrobin 20% WG @ 100g or Propineb 70% WP @ 500g per acre at 60, 90 and 120 days after sowing.
• Apply Bacillus subtilis (BSC5) @ 400 g/ac on 60, 90 and 120 days after sowing.

• Online resources
• CPG 2020