Abstract

A total of five diseases was recorded during the survey conducted in numerous nurseries and five representative plantations of Paraserianthes falcataria, a fast growing exotic tree species, raised in plantations in Kerala, India. In nurseries only two diseases, viz., web blight caused by Rhizoctonia solani and seedling wilt caused by Fusarium solani were observed. Of these, web blight was recorded commonly and it caused considerable mortality of seedlings. Of the 13 fungicides evaluated in vitro against R. solani, Bavistin and Terrachlor Super-X gave the maximum inhibition in growth. However, in in vivo only Bavistin (1000 ¦g a.i. /ml) applied one week before transplanting the seedlings in the infested soil, controlled the disease. Bavistin applied after the appearance of the disease was not very effective. Of the three diseases, namely Botryodiploidia dieback (Botryodiploidia theobromae), Phomopsis shoot dieback (Phomopsis mendax) and bacterial wilt (Pseudomonas solanacearum)