Symptoms

• The chief symptom is blight or rot at leaf bases and around nodes, which are girdled. Spots on leaves are ashy white.
• The centre of old spots are covered with dark brown to black fungal growth.
• Leaves may be constricted and twisted and the tip may be killed.
• Branches die-back at the girdled area and black crusts of conidia are formed on the cankers.

Management

• To reduce the disease incidence, humidity may be kept low by providing proper air circulation.
• Disease-free planting material should be used.
• Planting material should be dipped in Bacillus subtilis 2g/litre of water