Common Diseases of Jackfruit and Their Control Methods
Jackfruit is a very heavy and very large fruit, and its tree is also very tall, generally averaging around 15 m, and it is grown on a relatively large area in our country. But do not be fooled by how tall and big the jackfruit grows; without proper management, many diseases will still occur, and diseases can have a huge impact on the normal growth and development of jackfruit. If they are not dealt with in time, they may even lead to a complete loss of the crop. So what diseases affect the growth of jackfruit? How should they be controlled? Let us take a look below!
1. Fruit rot
Disease characteristics: The main pathogen of jackfruit fruit rot is the fungus Physalospora, which mainly harms the fruit. After the fruit is infected, brown lesions appear on the surface of the rind, then gradually expand, extend and soften. In the middle of the lesions, the color gradually deepens and turns black, and many small black dots also appear on the surface of the wart-like polygonal protrusions on the rind. When the infection is severe, they gradually join together, and under humid conditions release a large number of black-and-white strip-like structures; the pathogen begins to extend to the fruit stalk, causing the fruit to drop early. The pathogen usually enters through wounds and some insect pests. Spring and summer are the peak periods of the disease, and rainy weather and plants with excessively weak growth will all aggravate the condition.
Control methods: Strengthen orchard management, cultivate the trees correctly, pay attention to proper pruning of the trees in winter, and apply some organic fertilizer. Choose a good time to thin flowers and fruits on the trees, and spray chemicals for control. When harvesting the fruit, pick and place it gently to prevent mechanical damage. After the fruit ripens, an appropriate amount of Bordeaux mixture and other chemicals can be sprayed for control, at least once a week.
2. Anthracnose
Disease characteristics: Anthracnose is one of the most common diseases of all crops. It mainly harms the fruit and leaves of the tree and has a great impact on fruit ripening and rotting during storage and transport. When anthracnose harms leaves, the disease starts in the middle of the leaf, then spreads along the veins toward the tip and develops, finally extending toward the lateral veins, causing the veins to be damaged by the disease and eventually necrotic. Or it starts at the leaf tip and leaf margin, producing irregular lesions, generally brown. When the fruit is affected, irregular brown patches appear on the rind, causing the fruit to turn brown and begin to rot, and many small black dots appear on the diseased parts; these are the fruiting bodies of the pathogen.
Control methods: The control of anthracnose is mainly based on prevention. On the basis of strengthened management, we should choose an appropriate time to spray chemicals for protection. After harvesting the fruit, begin loosening the soil and remove diseased and remaining branches and diseased fruits from the tree. Spray chemicals for protection after the flowering stage and young fruit stage.
3. Fruit cracking
Disease characteristics: Jackfruit cracking is a physiological disease. It usually begins to crack when the fruit gradually ripens, and it is a very common phenomenon. The main cause is a deficiency of trace elements in jackfruit, especially calcium, and it generally appears as longitudinal cracking, with a small number showing transverse cracking. The flesh at the crack becomes yellowish-white, and black material grows there, beginning to turn black and rot. It is very easily triggered by long-term drought followed by sudden rainy weather, or the opposite situation.
Control methods: During the fruit enlargement stage, be sure to carry out medium tillage and deep plowing in the orchard to make the soil looser, promote root growth and development, and improve its absorption capacity. During the growing period, pay attention to scientific fertilization, appropriately increase the use of calcium fertilizer, and at the same time also increase the use of biological organic fertilizer. Avoid leaving jackfruit under long-term drought or rainy conditions.
The above are several common diseases that jackfruit will encounter during cultivation. In addition to these diseases, there will also be the threat of insect pests. Because the threats from insect pests are mostly the same few kinds, the editor has not described them in detail. Most disease occurrences are caused by improper management, so everyone must always pay attention to the sanitary conditions of the orchard when planting, reduce pathogens, and lower the incidence of disease.