Damping off Disease symptoms: Disease of nursery beds and young seedlings resulting in reduced seed germination and poor stand of seedlings. Very high seedling mortality of 25-75%. Pre-emergence damping off: Seedlings disintegrate before they come out of soil surface leading to poor seed germination Post-emergence damping off is characterised by development of disease after seedlings have emerged out of soil but before the stems are lignified Water soaked lesion formation at collar region Infected areas turn brown and rot Plants shrivel and collapse as a result of softening of tissues In Rhizoctonia solani attack infected stems become hard, thin (wire stem symptoms) and infected seedlings topple Disease appear in patches both in nursery and field beds. Survival and spread: Primary: Oospores in soil in case of Pythium Sclerotia in soil in case of Rhizoctonia Secondary: Zoospores through irrigation water in case of Pythium Mycelial growth in soil and sclerotia through irrigation water in case of Rhizoctonia Favourable conditions: For Pythium Heavy rainfall Excessive and frequent irrigation Poorly drained soil and close spacing High soil moisture with temp around 25-30°C For Rhizoctonia High soil moisture with temp around 30–35°C Twig canker Disease symptoms: The first symptom of the disease is clearing of the veinlets and chlorosis of the leaves. The younger leaves may die in succession and the entire may wilt and die in a course of few days. Soon the petiole and the leaves droop and wilt. In young plants, symptom consists of clearing of veinlet and dropping of petioles. The symptoms continue in subsequent leaves. At later stage, browning of vascular system occurs. Plants become stunted and die. Survival and spread: Soil and implements Favourable conditions: Relatively high soil moisture and soil temperature IPM for Drumstick To know the IPM practices for Drumstick, click here. Source : NIPHM, Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine & Storage