FIELD INVESTIGATION AND SURVEY ON DISEASES OF GERBERA (Gerbera jamesonii L.) IN JASHORE DISTRICT OF BANGLADESH

Abstract

Two experiments were conducted for detection and identification of field diseases of Gerbera plants and flowers during February, 2019 to May, 2019 in Jashore and Dhaka, Bangladesh. Eighteen villages from 4 Unions of Jhikorgacha Upazila of Jashore district were considered for field survey, viz. Godkhali, Patuapara, Sadirali, Belemath, Dhalipara, Panisara, Syedpara, Nilkonthonogor, Kuliya, Krishnachandrapur, Hariya, Nimtola, Baisha, Sharifpur, Chadpur, Mathuapara, Nirbashkhola and Shiorda. The disease incidence and severity were recorded under natural epiphytic conditions. In Total, eleven diseases were identified in the field. These were Alternaria leaf spot caused by Alternaria alternata, Botrytis leaf blight caused by Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium stem rot caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. chrysanthemi, Crown rot caused by Rhizoctonia solani, Foot and root rot caused by unknown pathogen, Leaf curl by unidentified virus, Flower curl caused by unidentified virus, Flower abnormality- a physiological disorder caused by nutrient deficiency, Flower blight caused by Botrytis cinerea and Petal spot caused by Alternaria alternata and Bipolaris sp. simultaneously. However, the Leaf blight disease caused by Botrytis cinerea was the most common disease in Jashore. The incidence and severity of the identified diseases varied significantly among these locations. The disease incidence and severity were varied 0-56% and 0-26%, respectively. In most cases, the farmers reported that the disease incidence and severity were higher in rainy season followed by summer and winter. Depending on the disease incidence and severity, the major diseases of inspected Gerbera plants were Leaf spot, Leaf blight, Flower blight and Flower abnormality. In case of Leaf blight, the highest incidence (50%) was in Patuapara and the lowest (8.33%) was in Chadpur village. However, the highest severity (16%) was observed at Sadirali and lowest was (0.83%) at Mathuapara. In Leaf spot disease, the highest incidence (43.33%) was observed at Kuliya and the lowest was recorded (8.33%) at Belemath. The severity was highest (11.66%) at Godkhali and Nilkonthonogor and lowest (1.33%) at Sharifpur and Mathuapara. Apart from this, a survey was carried out on the socio-economic status of Gerbera growers, production technology and the opinions of the farmers about field diseases to have a more clear view about Gerbera production in Jashore, Bangladesh. Most of the farmers were male and their age was between 30 to 40 years. Very few of them were highly educated and most of them are engaged in Gerbera cultivation from more than 5 years.