A Brief Overview of Major Citrus Diseases and Pests and Its Management

Abstract

Incidence of several insects, pests and diseases has created a significant impact on lower productivity and shorter productive life span of citrus trees in the entire world. In citrus, pathogens or the causal organisms in terms of bacteria, fungi, viruses, nematodes, and virus like pathogens are responsible for initiating the occurrences of several seeds, soil and air borne diseases as well as pests infested/ infected symptoms in citrus plant parts thereby leading to an economic losses to the citrus growers of the citrus belts.  Exposure of plants on occurrence to high humidity and heavy rainfall from the month of May to September is more likely prone to pest infestations in addition to fungal, bacterial and viral diseases in the cultivated area. Therefore, the main objectives of this chapter were to identify the major harmful organisms to the citrus crops and to highlight the appropriate methods to manage them. In this chapter, more emphasis was given to twenty five important diseases and pests that have been identified in citrus and aids in limiting production and productivity of Citrus particularly Citrus Greening, Citrus Canker, Orange Scab, Leaf and fruit Spot, Blue mould, Phytophthora Root Rot, Sooty Mould, Citrus Wither Tip, Armillaria, Sooty Blotch, Tristeza Virus, Citrus Yellow Mosaic Virus, Grey Mould, Black Pit, Pink Disease, Powdery Mildew, Citrus, Scab, Blue Mould, Sooty Mould, Gummosis, Collar Rot, Brown Rot, Citrus Greasy Spot in addition to certain pests including Citrus Aphid, Citrus Mealy Bug, Citrus leaf miner, Fruit flies and wooly white flies respectively thereby limiting citrus production. In addition, it has also been emphasised that control of such harmful pests and diseases are entirely relied on the use of chemicals. Therefore, an alternative method of minimizing the use of chemical pesticides and insecticides is use of integrated orchard management methods in addition to use of sanitation practices and critically monitoring the occurrence and development of major pests and diseases.