Diagnosis on okra antraknose

Introduction

Okra is a member of the Malvacae family and related to cotton, hibiscus and hollyhock. 
The word ‘okra’ is of Nigerian origin and translates to “lady’s finger’s”.  It is a perennial plant
that grows up to 2 meters tall with heart shaped leaves and large, yellow flowers. The leaves
are 10–20 cm long and broad, palmately lobed with 5–7 lobes. The flowers are 4–8 cm
diameter, with five white to yellow petals, often with a red or purple spot at the base of each
petal. What we eat is the seed pod which range in size from 3-10 inches in length and have a
unique, sticky texture and sweet flavor.

Abelmoschus esculentus is cultivated throughout the tropical and warm temperate

regions of the world for its fibrous fruits or pods containing round, white seeds. It is among the
most heat- and drought-tolerant vegetable species in the world—but severe frost can damage
the pods and will tolerate poor soils with heavy clay and intermittent moisture.

In cultivation, the seeds are soaked overnight prior to planting to a depth of 1–2 cm.
Germination occurs between six days (soaked seeds) and three weeks. Seedlings require ample
water. The seed pods rapidly become fibrous and woody and must be harvested within a week
of the fruit being pollinated to be edible. The fruits are harvested when immature and eaten as
a vegetable.

Okra is an allopolyploid of uncertain parentage (proposed parents include Abelmoschus

ficulneus, Abelmoschus tuberculatus and a reported "diploid" form of okra). Truly wild, as
opposed to naturalised, populations, are not definitely known, and the species may be a
cultigen.

Okra is grown throughout tropical and temperate regions of the world.  Its beginnings
were in Ethiopia and it was cultivated by the ancient Egyptians in the 12th century B.C.  It then
made its way through North Africa and the Middle East.  The seed pods, or okra as we know it,
were eaten as well as the seeds toasted and ground as a substitute for coffee.  I think I’ll stick
with the bean, myself.

After going through the Caribbean, Okra was brought to the US in the 1700s by slaves
from West Africa and was introduced to Western Europe soon after.  Today okra is popular just
about everywhere- Africa, the Middle East, Greece, Turkey, India, the Caribbean and the US. 

The best okra, like almost everything else, is best when it’s young & fresh.  Okra
becomes woody once it has aged and it then manufactured into paper & rope, interestingly
enough.  Once you purchase your okra from the local market, be prepared to cook them within
2-3 days.  Do not wash until you are ready to use, the okra will become slimy if you wash
beforehand.  Okra is slimy & sticky, there’s nothing you can do about it.  Just celebrate it as you
would your family, it’s great but they do have flaws.

The pathogen : Colletotrichum capsici

The sample that was assign to us is pathogenic okra leaves. We have to diagnosis and verify the
pathogen that infected okra plant. After the diagnosis, it seems that the pathogen of the
diseased okra plant is Colletotrichum capsici.

Colletotrichum capsici is the pathogen of the known Anthracnose of chilli pepper (Capsicum
annuum, C. frutescens) and has been reported to have a wide putative hostrange (121 genera in
45 plant families, Shenoy et al., 2007). The taxon has been reported to cause anthracnose on
cotton, peppers, tomatoes and a wide range of legume species (Pring et al., 1995). It has also
been reported to infect and survive in weed and flower hosts such as hibiscus and
chrysanthemum (Roberts et al., 2001) and associated with symptoms of leaf tip die-back, foliar
blight, leaf spot, leaf lesions and boll rot of various plants (Shenoy et al., 2007). Since this
pathogen can survive in the hibiscus which is same family with okra, Malvacae, it is possible
that this pathogen can also survive in okra plant.
Anthracnose is a common name of plant diseases characterised by black lesions, usually
sunken, caused by certain imperfect fungi that produce spores, e.g. Colletotrichum,
Gloeosporium and some closely-related Sphaceloma species. The lifecycle of anthracnose
diseases involves essentially production of spores on susceptible hosts, dispersal of spores,
penetration of host tissue, initiation of an infection process within the cells, development of
lesions, formation of bristly spores and dispersal usually by water-splash, air currents, insects or
other forms of contact.

The anthracnose pathogen reaches its most serious dimensions at high moisture and warm
temperature. For example C. gloeosporioides has an optimum of 25-29°C but it will also survive
at temperatures as low as 4°C. Spore germination, dispersal and infection require relative
humidities near 100%. However, in drier situations disease expression can occur when latent
infections are activated through aging or tissue damage. The anthracnose diseases are
primarily transmitted through seed, but also through infected plant parts. Rainsplash will also
disperse spores within crop canopy. The pathogen persists on and in seed, crop residues, and
weed hosts.
 SYMPTO SIGN

Anthracnose controlling method

1. Cultural control
This refer to the range of method used in the general crop agronomy to control disease,
most are aimed at disease avoidance through :
 Phytosanitation
Measures requiring removal or destruction of infected or infested plant material likely
to form source of re-infection or re-infestation.

 Manipulation of cropping pattern

o spacing and pruning to reduce favourable environment condition
Generally only one planting is made. For cooler areas, seed in the greenhouse in
cells and transplant to the field through black plastic mulch. For dwarf varieties,
space the rows about 3.5 feet apart; for medium and tall varieties, 4 to 4.5 feet
apart. Drill seeds 1 to1.5 inch deep, with 3 or 4 seed per foot of row (5 to 7
pounds per acre). Thin the plants when they are 5 inches high. Dwarf varieties
 should be about 12 to 15 inches apart in the row; plants of tall varieties should
be 18 to 24 inches apart.

 Enhancing resistance and avoiding predisposition

2. Biological control
Biological control method for Colletotrichum disease are now receiving increasing attention,
although the potential of biological bontrol trough the effect of phyllosphere antagonists
has been realized for some time (Lenné and Parbery, 1976). Based on the book, ‘Hemp
diseases and pests: management and biological control’ by John Michael McPartland,
Robert Connell Clarke, David Paul Watson:
 According to Samuel (1996), Trichoderma harzianum (Trichodex®) has controlled
Colletotrichum disease.
 Yepsen (1976) suggested a prophylactic spray of lime sulphur on plants during
susceptible weather.
 Kaushal & Paul (1989) inhibited a related species, Colletotrichum truncatum, with an
extract of Cannabis

3. Chemical control
 Armicarb 100 Fungicide (potassium bicarbonate)
o Do not apply through any irrigation systems
o Avoid tank mixing with highly acidic pesticides
o Do not spray seed directly
 Milstop (potassium bicarbonate)
o Do not apply through any irrigation systems
 Trilogy (neem oil)

4. Physical / mechanical control

 Eliminating residue
 Throw away the unwanted plant and residue after harvest. Maintaining the sanitation is
essential for control this disease.
 Careful pruning and rouging
 Deep ploughing
 Sterilize or pasteurizing soil
 Eliminating weeds
 Avoid drought or water logging
 Do not wet the stem while irrigating

Reference
• Hemp diseases and pests: management and biological control : an advanced ...By John
Michael McPartland, Robert Connell Clarke, David Paul Watson
• CABI. (2004). Crop Protection Compendium, 2004 Edition. © CAB International
Publishing. Wallingford, UK. www.cabi.org
• OISAT (Online Information Service for Non-Chemical Pest Management in the Tropics)
www.oisat.org
• Waller, JM. (1992). Colletotrichum diseases of perennial and other cash crops. In:
J.A.Bailey and M.J. Jeger (Editors). Colletotrichum: biology, pathology and control. CABI,
Wallingford , ISBN 978-0851987569
• Wheeler, B.E.J. (1969). An Introduction to Plant Diseases. John Wiley & Sons Ltd. ISBN: 0
471 93752 5
• Nameth, S. and J. Chatfield. 1996. Anthracnose Leaf Blight of Shade Trees. Columbus:
Ohio State Univ. Ext. Factsheet HYG-3048-96. Accessed Dec. 9, 2009.
• Pataky, N. R. 1997. Anthracnose Disease of Shade Trees. Urbana-Champaign: Univ.
Illinois. Ext. Rep. on Plant Dis. N. 621. Accessed Dec. 9, 2009.