Rhizome Rot(Erwinia carotovora)

Symptoms

• Affected plants show discolouration and soft rotting of rhizomes and suckers.
• They have scanty roots with dark brown lesions and necrotic tips.
• Badly affected plants remain stunted with water-soaked, discoloured leaf sheath bases and yellow leaf blades which give scorched appearance.
• Soft blackened ring is seen on the pseudostem at the soil level.
• The pseudostem tips over, breaking across the rotted portion, particularly at the ground level.
• The entire roots get blackended and rotted

Management

• Eradicate/destroy infected clumps of suckers.
• Avoid furrow irrigation and follow basin irrigation.
• Remove Heliconia spp. and other weeds from the field and nearby area