Ascochyta blight

Causal Organism: Ascochyta pisi, A. Pinodella and A. Pincodes

• It may pose a serious threat to crop under favourable conditions, causing blight, pod spot and foot rot.

Symptoms

• Small, purple spots appear on leaves which may enlarge, turn brown and having a definite margin.
• Shows concentric rings.
• Similar lesions also appear on the stem which elongate and coalesce causing browning or blackening of stem.
•  On the pods, lesions are tan or brown in colour with irregular shape having a dark margin.

Ascochyta blight

Pea pod affected by Ascochyta blight

 Control

• Use healthy seeds and treat them with Carbendazim (0.25%) before sowing.
• Spray infected crop with Carbendazim (0.1%) or Mancozeb at flowering and afterwards at 10-15 days interval.
• Remove diseased plants and destroy them.
• Follow 2-3 years of crop rotations.
• Maintain proper drainage.