03 Sep Major Diseases of Mandarin Orange in North Eastern Hill Regions of Darjeeling and Sikkim and their Management
दार्जिलिंग और सिक्किम के उत्तर पूर्वी पहाड़ी क्षेत्र में मेंडारिन ऑरेंज के प्रमुख रोग तथा उनका प्रबंधन Fruit crops play an important role in the life of farmers of North Eastern hill regions. Fruit crops make hill agriculture vibrant and potentiate the economic condition of the farmers of this region. In Darjeeling region of West Bengal and Sikkim, cultivation of fruit crops mainly Darjeeling Mandarin is main source of livelihood for the farmers. In India, every year a huge loss to citrus production occurs due to damage caused by insect pests, diseases and off course physiological disorders. All these factors together cause a great damage to citrus crops; and growers as well as consumers are disadvantaged with it. A. Disease Pests and their Management: The diseases are caused by fungi, bacteria, virus, virus like pathogens, etc. They cause severe damage to the mandarin orange cultivation. The major diseases affecting citrus crops in Darjeeling and Sikkim regions are as follows: 1. Gummosis disease (Causal organism: Phytophthora palmivora, P. citrophthora, P. nicotianae var. parasitica): The characteristic symptom of the disease is exudation of gum from bark of the tree trunk. The leaves of affected plants, turn yellow and show blight symptoms. The bark shows conspicuous brown staining along with hardened masses of gum on the surface. The bark cracks open and...