Jehangtr Fardunji Dastitr '2C)~) 



when tlioy are not nioio than about two inclies in length. Bigger unripe 

 fruits are very seldom infected. Fruits that have begun to turn yellow 

 and ripe at times get diseased. But the percentage of the loss of big 

 fruits is negligible. 



The infection of the newly set and young green fruits takes place 

 generally either tlirough the stigmas or through the scars left by the 

 floral leaves. If tlie infection starts from the stigmas the fruit shows a 

 pinched-in appearance. If it starts from the scars left by the fallen floral 

 leaves the base of the fruit becomes sunken and the depression runs into 

 folds and the fruit generally becomes flattened out. The infection can 

 also take place through punctures on the skin. Where there is the in- 

 fection there appears a circular saucer-shaped depression in the skin. 

 This depression increases concentrically with the progress of the disease. 

 The fruit ultimately completely loses its normal shape. The diseased 

 young fruit loses its green colour and becomes pale yellow, green or 

 white yellow. From the centre of the diseased spots latex exudes in tiny 

 drops. On the newly set fruit, which is still whitish yellow in colour, 

 the infection may also start through its uninjured walls where the pre- 

 sence of the disease is marked by a circular depression which increases 

 in diameter along with the growth of the fungus. If fruits which are 

 about to ripen become diseased, it has been found as a rule that the 

 infection starts from several points which are visible in the early stage 

 as round \vater-soaked depressions. These diseased areas do not merge 

 into each other but get delimited by a ridge being formed between the 

 neighbouring depressions. In rare cases a single infection spreads over 

 the whole fruit. The diseased area grows concentrically ; the old infected 

 tissues are thrown oil in dry flakes. 



The diseased fruit, especially the very young fruit, becomes mum- 

 mified, hard and woody, and soon loses its normal shape. If the fruit 

 is cut through a diseased spot the infected tissues are sharply demarcated 

 from the healthy tissue. The diseased part in section is crescent-shaped, 

 dry and pale white in colour which is very conspicuous if the fruit be 

 ripe. The white diseased sunken tissues can be lifted off with a pointed 

 instrument. 



The diseased areas when fresh are generally found to be fleshy pink 

 in colour and moist, due to the presence of innumerable acervuli. The 

 acervuli on drying either remain pink coloured or turn black from margin 

 inwards. Till lately, the acervuli were found without setae. But diseased 

 fruits examined in 1917 have shown the presence of setae. Diseased 

 spots with and w^ithout setae are as a rule distinct from each other and 



