Heart rot/root rot:
Disease symptoms:
Heart rot disease of pineapples caused by Phytophthora spp. is characterised by yellow-red coloured leaves that are easily pulled from the plant and white leaf bases that bear a distinct water-soaked grey-brown transverse lesion. The lesion progresses slowly from the base of the leaf to the tip. Rotting pineapple fruit tissue may also smell badly. If the pineapple plants develop root rot, aboveground symptoms include stunting and low yield.
Heart rot caused by Psuedomonas spp. is characterized by yellowing, leaf tip dieback, and tipping of the plant caused by rotting of the growing point. Pineapple leaf spot occurs frequently in moist and warm climate of parts of India. Initial symptoms are in the form of water soaked lesions on the leaves. The spots later on enlarge in size and gradually dries up.
Management:
Providing drainage is most essential for the management of heart rot. The water table should be at least 60 cm below the soil surface. Badly affected plants should be destroyed and the remaining plants should be drenched with 0.4% Hexaconasole in the soil. Leaf spot can be controlled by spraying 0.2% zineb / mancozeb / ziram.
