Diseases of Pea
Diseases of Pea Crop
1. Downy mildew -Peronospora viciae (formerly P. pisi)
2. Powdery mildew- Erysiphe polygoni
3. Wilt/Root Rot- Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. pisi
4. Aschochyta blight- Ascochyta pisi
5. Pea rust -Uromyces fabae
Downy mildew-Peronospora viciae
Downy mildew is one of the most common fungal diseases
of field peas, and often causes substantial reduction in plant
numbers in cool wet seasons.
The disease is most severe early in the growing season when
the crop canopy remains wet for long periods following rain
or heavy dews. Warm, dry conditions prevent the spread of
the disease.
Symptoms of Pea Downy Mildew
Upper Leaf Surface Lower Leaf Surface
Primary and Secondary infection
Plants grown from infected seed
are severely stunted and distorted,
and have a sickly yellowish-green
appearance.
The undersides of the leaflets, in
particular, are covered with a fluffy
mouse-grey spore mass.
Primary and Secondary infection
Infected plants may turn yellow while
producing an abundant source of
spores, which cause secondary
infections.
Secondary infection results in the
appearance of isolated greenish yellow
to brown blotches on the upper surface
of leaves, while on the underside of the
leaf, masses of mouse-grey coloured
spores are produced.
Favourable conditions:
High humidity and low temperatures (5- 15°C) for few days
are ideal for infection and development of disease.
Survival and spread:
Primary infection by soil, seed and water
Secondary infection by sporangia through rain splash or
wind
Disease Cycle
Downy mildew, caused by the fungus Peronospora
viciae, survives in the soil and on old pea trash, and can also
be seed-borne.
Infected seed can act as a primary source for systemic
infections.
Systemic infection of plants can lead to the disease
developing late in the season, if conditions are favourable.
The disease can develop quickly when conditions are cold
(5–15°C) and wet for 4 to 5 days.
Disease Cycle
Disease often happens when seedlings are in the early
vegetative stage.
Heavy dews will promote release of spores, while rain is the
major means of spore dispersal, and secondary infection.
Dry, warm weather is unfavorable for the disease.
Disease cycle
Management
Downy mildew can be effectively managed by using crop rotations,
resistant varieties and seed dressings.
Variety
Growing a resistant variety is the most effective means of
controlling downy mildew
Chemical control
Seed treatments with Carbendazim @ 2.5g/kg can be beneficial, as
it can improve seedling establishment by reducing the number of
seedlings with primary infection, fewer spores are produced within
the crop and secondary infection of the surrounding plants is
minimized.
Management
Crop rotation
Extended crop rotations and destruction of infected pea trash
will minimize the risk of serious disease.
A break of at least 3 years between field pea crops is
recommended.
Avoid sowing pea crops adjacent to last season's stubble
Spray of Mancozeb @ 0.25% at seven days interval gives good
control.
Powdery mildew of pea - Erysiphe polygoni
Powdery mildew of Pea is prevalent all over the world
including India.
Compared to downy mildew it is considered more
destructive because of its frequent occurrence covers larger
host surface.
The disease is worst in dry weathers while downy mildew
flourishes in wet weather
Symptoms
Disease appears in winter.
The disease appears as on the foliage and pods.
Infection is first apparent on the leaves as small slightly
darkened areas, which later become white powdery
spots as white floury patches.
These spots enlarge and cover the entire leaf area.
Severely infected leaves may become chlorotic and
distorted before falling. Affected pods are small in size
and malformed.
Being an ectoparasite only superficial mycelial growth is
seen.
Causal organism
Three species of Erysiphe, namely E. polygony, E. pisi,
E. cichoracearum are reported on peas.
In India E.polygoni is more prevalent.
It is considered aggregate of several species.
The pathogen is an obligate parasite.
Mycelium is septate having dense spreading superficial
hyphae.
It does not penetrate the host except sac like haustoria for
obtaining nutrition.
Survival and spread
Powdery mildew spores are carried by air and once active, will
continue to spread in dry conditions.
Favourable conditions:
Warm (temperature 15-25°C), humid (over 70% relative
humidity) conditions for 4-5 days late in the growing season,
during flowering and pod filling, favour disease development
Disease cycle
Primary infection- Disease is primarily soil born and secondarily air
borne.
Primary infection- Cleistothecia are perenating structure in soil and form
the means of primary infection.
They can survive in soil till following crop season.
Secondary infection - Conidia produced due to primary infection on the
host are wind transmitted to healthy leaves and results in secondary
infection on them during growing season.
Many cycles of conidia are produced per season, in favourable
environment.
Pre-disposing factors: Warm and dry weather conditions at temperature
24 °C to 32 °C is optimum.
Disease cycle
Control measures:
Field sanitation, destruction of diseased debris and crop
rotation help in effective control of disease by destroying the
cleistothecia if present in soil.
Best protection is by fungicide foliage sprays.
Sulphur fungicides are commonly recommended. Others viz:
lime sulphur, Sultal, Karathane, Hexaconazole, Elasal, Bavistin,
Morocide , etc are effective in disease control.
Biocontrol measures are promoted.
Resistant varieties are more preferred.
Fusarium wilt: Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. pisi
Symptoms
Symptom of the disease is more pronounced
in 3 to 5 week old plants. In young seedlings,
cotyledons droop and wither.
The first symptom of the disease in the field
is drooping of the plants followed by sudden
death. The leaves may also turn yellow and
drop off prematurely.
Pod formation is severely affected.
In collar regions of the wilted plants, necrosis
and discolouration can be seen.
The diseased plants can be pulled out from the
easily than the healthy ones.
When the diseased stem is cut, there is a dark
brown, discolored band around the vascular
system.
Infection occurs directly through the root hairs.
The fungus survives for indefinite periods in the
soil.
Externally, the root system appears healthy;
however, secondary root rots are likely to occur
on plants wilted for long periods.
Eventually, wilted plants may die.
Survival and spread:
• Primary infection by Soil, Seed, Water
• Secondary infection by Conidia through rain splash.
Favourable conditions:
• A soil temperature of 23° to 27°C is most favourable for
Fusarium wilt.
• Hot weather and warm soils.
Disease Cycle
Management
Treating the seeds with Carbendazim (2 g/kg of
seed) protects the seedlings during the initial stages
of growth.
Soil drenching with Copper oxychloride @0.25%.
Root rot complex
caused by many soil borne pathogens
Pythium ultimum, Fusarium solani and Rhizoctonia solani
Damage symptoms:
Reddish brown to black streaks appear
on primary and secondary roots.
These streaks coalesce at later stages,
leading to girdling of lower stem.
Red discoloration of the vascular
system can be seen, especially near
cotyledon attachment.
Stunted growth, yellowing and
necrosis appear on the basal foliage.
Survival and spread
Primary infection by soil, seed and water.
Secondary infection by conidia through rain splash or
wind.
Favourable conditions:
Cool, wet weather conditions.
Favourable conditions are higher soil temperatures 25
to 30°C and moderate soil moisture
Management
• Keep wider spacing
• Maintain irrigation
• Follow common cultural practices
• Crop rotation for 2-3 years
• Seed treatment with carbendazim, or Vitavex @
2.5g/kg of seed
Rust : Uromyces fabae
Symptoms
• This often becomes serious in humid regions.
• The plants dry up quickly and the yield is considerably reduced.
• The initial symptoms of the rust infection are flecking of the
leaves.
• These flecks soon develop into reddish brown pustules,
frequently merging into one another, finally bursting to expose a
mass of brown spores.
• The entire leaf blade and other affected parts give a brownish
appearance even from a distance.
Survival and spread:
Euphorbia and infected vegetation residues are sources of
the infection.
The agent is not transferred by seeds.
Favourable conditions:
Frequent precipitations, plentiful dews and air
temperature of 20-25°C promote development.
Dry and hot weather restrains the disease development.
Disease Cycle
Management
Fungicidal application using Tridemorph 0.1 % or
Mancozeb 0.25% effectively control the disease.
Ascochyta blight- Ascochyta pisi
Disease symptoms:
Early symptoms are most commonly observed
under the plant canopy, on lower leaves, stems,
and tendrils, where conditions are more humid.
Symptoms first appear as small, purplish-brown
and irregular flecks.
Under continued humid conditions, the flecks
enlarge and coalesce, resulting the lower leaves
becoming completely blighted.
Severe infections may lead to girdling of the stem
near the soil line, which is known as foot rot.
Foot rot lesions are purplish-black in colour and
may extend above and below the soil line.
Foot and stem lesions girdle and weaken the stem,
leading to crop lodging and yield loss.
Disease lesions develop on pods under prolonged
moist conditions or if the crop has lodged.
Pod lesions are initially small and dark, but may
become extensive and lead to early pod
senescence.
Severe pod infection may result in small, shrunken
or discoloured seed; or alternatively, seed may
show no symptoms.
Disease Cycle
Survival and spread:
Ascospores carried long distances by wind.
The asexual conidia travel short distances to new hosts via water
splashes from rain.
Infection originates from diseased seed or from spores growing on
debris in the soil near pea plants.
Favourable conditions:
Favorable conditions are warm humid conditions with a temperature
is about 15o C to 25o C.
Management
Cultural control:
Plantation of tall plant crop as a barrier for air
borne inoculum
Stage Wise IPM
Seed Sowing
Nutrients
Seed treatment should be done with Rhizobium cultures @ 250
g/acre.
Apply starter dose of 10 Kg of Nitrogen along with 28 Kg
P2O5 and 25 Kg K2O/acre at the time of sowing.
Growing tomato or marigold as a trap crop for the management
of leaf miner.
Plant tall border crops like maize, sorghum for the management
of aphids.
Crop rotation with non-host crops.
Stage Wise IPM
Pre-sowing
Common cultural practices:
Deep ploughing of fields during summer.
Timely sowing should be done.
Field sanitation, roguing
Destroy the alternate host plants
Apply manures and fertilizers as per soil test
recommendations.
Grow the attractant, repellent, and trap crops around the field
bunds.
Vegetative stage
Common cultural practices:
Collect and destroy diseased and insect infected plant parts.
Provide irrigation at critical stages of the crop
Avoid water stagnation.
Enhance parasitic activity by avoiding chemical spray, when 1-2
larval parasitoids are observed
Common biological practices:
Conserve natural enemies through ecological engineering
Augmentative release of natural enemies
