216 A NEW GINGER DISEASE IN GODAVARI DISTRICT 
Spraying experiments to determine the efficacy of spraying with 
Bordeaux mixture. 
In Modekurru, Amalapur Taluk, where the ginger crop was affected by 
this disease, a plot of 10 cents was selected for trying the efficacy of spraying 
with Bordeaux mixture (5-5-50 strength) in checking the disease. The first 
spraying was given when the disease was fairly distributed on the plants and 
the second after an interval of six weeks. Before spraying, all the badly 
affected leaves and shoots were cut out and burnt. The following statement 
shows the yield and other details of the sprayed plot :— 
YIELD 
No. of | 
Area of sprayed plot sprayings | | REMARKS 
given During the Previous . 
year sprayed | year 
| 
10 cents. 2 at an in- | Md. | Md. On account of spray- 
terval of 6 | 74 13 ing there is a clear 
weeks. | gain of 5? maunds 
over the previous 
year. 
Thus from a ten cent plot there is a gain in money value of about 
Rs. 16 which works out at Rs. 160 per acre. 
Local practice for checking the disease. 
In certain plantations of this locality the usual practice to control this 
disease is to sprinkle quicklime on the affected plants. Enquiries show that 
this dusting with quicklime is imperfect and only partially prevents its spread. 
Summary. 
1. The leaf disease of ginger (Zingiber officinale) is caused by the fungus 
of the genus Vermicularia and has been reported from Amalapur Taluk, 
Godavari District. 
2. The disease shows itself to begin with as small yellowish spots. Later 
on, the whole leaf turns yellow and rots, resulting in the poor development 
of rhizomes causing considerable loss to the ginger growers. 
3. This disease makes rapid progress during a period of continued wet 
weather and high humidity. A change into drier conditions checks the 
progress of the disease and many plants recover. The results of the inocula- 
tions in the laboratory confirm this field observation. 
