Abstract

Commercially important bamboos, including reed bamboos, namely, Bambusa arundinacea, Dendrocalamus strictus, Ochlandra travancorica, O. scriptoria and O. ebracteata are found widely distributed throughout the State of Kerala. Recently, large-scale planting of Bambusa arundinacea and other bamboos has been taken up as pure stands or as underplantings among teak plantations. The preliminary findings of the disease survey indicate that bamboos are susceptible to various diseases. A total of 36 fungal organisms were found to be associated with diseases of leaf, culm and rhizome. As many as 21 pathogens were recorded for the first time in bamboos. In the nurseries, diseases caused by Rhizoctonia solani, Dactylaria sp., Helminthosporium sp. and Alternaria alternata were most prevalent. Basal culm decay caused by Fusarium spp., culm rot caused by F. equiseti, F. oxysporum, Fusarium sp., culm sheath rot caused by Glomerella cingulata and Pestaloziella sp., foliar infection by