Cercospora fruit spot

Cercospora fruit spot (Pseudocercospora purpurea) Credit: Biovision-Infonet The disease is primarily a problem to quality of fruits. The severity of infection varies from season to season and can cause losses of up to 60%. The lesions appear as small light-yellow spots on fruits and leaves. They later become reddish brown and eventually become hard and […]

Anthracnose General

Anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides) Credit: Biovision-Infonet This fungal disease is primarily a post-harvest problem when fruit is at maturity stage. Infection takes place when fruit is still very young and the fungus stays dormant till the fruit ripens. The disease appears as depressed spots on the fruit and the spots are manifested as a rot, which […]

Avocado root rot

Avocado root rot (Phytophthora cinnamomi) Credit: Biovision-Infonet This disease can attack trees of any size and age. Leaves of infected trees are small, usually pale or yellow green, are often wilted and fall prematurely giving the tree sparse appearance. In advanced stages of the disease, branches die-back and fruit remains small and crop yield drastically […]

Spider mites

Spider mites (Oligonychus spp.) Credit: Biovision-Infonet Attack by spider mites (Oligonychus spp.) produce circular necrotic spots covered by dense webbing. As mite populations increase feeding causes leaf drop. These mites are more damaging to ‘Haas’ variety; ‘Fuerte’ variety is less affected. Feeding by broad mites (Polyphagotarsonemus latus) causes leaf distortion. These tiny mites (0.1-0.2 mm long) cannot be seen with the naked […]

Bugs

Bugs (Coconut bugs, Helopeltis bugs, stink bugs)] Adult coconut bugs (Pseudotheraptus wayi) are brown in colour and 10 to 15 mm long. Nymphs are red brown to green brown in colour and have long antenna. The adults and nymphs of the coconut bug feed on young and mature avocado fruit. Bug feeding causes necrotic bruise-like depressions. A hard lump […]

Thrips

Credits:Biovision-Infonet Thrips-black tea thrips Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis and the red banded thrips Selenothrips rubrocinctus) Credit: Biovision-Infonet Thrips are small, slender insects (1-2 mm long) with two pairs of fringed wings. Adult thrips attacking avocado are dark brown or black, and the immature stages are yellow in colour. The red-banded thrips can be distinguished by a bright red band across […]

Scales

Scales Credit: Biovision-Infonet Scales are small, stationary brown greenish insects occasionally found sucking sap from avocado leaves. Soft scales such as Coccus spp. excrete large amount of honeydew, which lead to the development of sooty mould on leaves, branches and fruit. Honeydew attracts ants, which while feeding on the honeydew protect scales from natural enemies. Armoured scales […]