Introduction

Anthracnose, also known as fruit rot, caused by Colletotrichum capsica, is one of the most destructive fungal diseases in capsicum and chilli. It has been causing significant yield losses for capsicum growers. Anthracnose infection can appear both pre-harvest and post-harvest stages. The losses incurred may rise to 50% in severe cases. The minimum yield loss due to the disease has been 30%. This may go even higher in case of poor management. Fruits infected by anthracnose fetch less price in the market and their chances of export may totally be null. Reduced yield and market value for capsicum may not turn profitable to the grower. Effective disease management is therefore crucial, as early detection and timely control measures can greatly minimize damage, protect crop productivity, and ensure a profitable harvest. Let’s learn about the early detection of anthracnose, pathogen behaviour, preventive measures, and action plant to prevent and/or cure the dangerous disease in detail.

Symptoms of Anthracnose in Capsicum

• Anthracnose disease mainly affects the crop during active reproductive stage. The symptoms can be observed on plant parts like leaf, stem, and majorly on fruits.
• Symptoms on fruits appear as grey-brown, circular lesions with dark margins. The lesions, when they grow develop concentric rings giving them the target board appearance.
• Water-soaked, slightly sunken spots can be observed on fruits that enlarge rapidly under humid conditions. As disease progresses, these lesions develop fungal masses that are pink in color, leading to fruit rot symptoms.
• Leaves exhibit typical blight like symptoms. These blights enlarge and coalesce as the infection progresses.
• Infected branches start dying backwards.

Stages Of Anthracnose Infection:

• Anthracnose disease mainly appears when the plants reach a reproductive stage which is flowering and fruiting stage. The infection may continue to harm the crop until harvesting and sometimes post-harvesting too.
• Young developing fruits to fully mature fruits are more prone to infection.

Favourable Conditions

• Anthracnose thrives well at temperatures ranging between 20-300C accompanied by highly humid conditions allowing smooth fungal growth and spore formation.
• Anthracnose in capsicum can easily be spread through irrigation water especially when irrigated through sprinklers. Rainwater might also carry the pathogen and infect healthy plants.
• Poor ventilation in the capsicum plot encourages building up of humidity which favours fungal growth.

Preventive Measures for Anthracnose

• Grow resistant/tolerant varieties/hybrids that are bred to withstand the adverse effects of anthracnose disease.
• Break the disease cycle and fungal multiplication by adapting crop rotation. Change the cropping pattern to non-host crops.
• Keep your farm clean and weed free. Chop off the infected plant parts like stem and leaves during early signs of infection to prevent the fungus from further spreading.
• Avoid overhead irrigation, as water splashes originating from overhead irrigation may infect other healthy plants.

Capsicum Anthracnose Management Practices

Cultural/mechanical Control

• Prune out the infected plant parts, especially those branches showing dieback symptoms. This helps to prevent the fungus from spreading to other healthy parts of the plants.
• Maintain proper spacing between the plants and rows as recommended for your soil condition. This helps in penetration of sunlight till the ground discouraging building up of humidity.
• Use clean and sterilized farm equipment/tools to conduct cultural practices.

Capsicum Anthracnose Biological Control

• Using biocontrol agents like Trichoderma spp., Bacillus spp., Pseudomonas spp. to control anthracnose disease

Chemical Control of Anthracnose in Capsicum

Conclusion

To conclude, anthracnose is one of the major fungal diseases posing potential risk to capsicum yield and market value. If not managed at the right time, this may result in total crop loss. With proper management strategies involving early detection of the symptoms is very crucial for deciding control measures. Anthracnose in capsicum can be prevented by growing resistant or tolerant varieties, maintaining field sanitation, destruction of alternate hosts and plant debris, and use of bio control agents. Once the infection starts progressing, adapting integrated pest control strategies will significantly reduce the infection. Capsicum growers must keep themselves alert with an action plan to safeguard their produce from maximum losses.