Major Foliar Diseases of Pulses and Oilseed Crops in Bundelkhand

Bundelkhand region of India is spread over about 69,000 sq. km. of land in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. This region is rain fed and drought conditions are frequent due to extremes of temperatures, reaching the mid to upper 40oc during the summer months and dropping as low as 1oc in winter. It is a hot and semi-humid region and its fragile geophysical condition is significantly sensitive to climate change. Agriculture is the main source of livelihood of this region and Black gram, Green gram, Pigeon pea, Sesame, Soybean, Groundnut, Chickpea, Mustard, Linseed are the main pulses and oil seed crops of this region. Various type of fungal, bacterial, viral, and phytoplasmal diseases were noticed in pulses and oilseeds crops. Total 24 diseases of oilseeds and pulses crops incited by 22 plant pathogens were recorded. Out of 22 pathogens, 17 plant pathogens belonging to fungi, two fungi like organism, 1 phytoplasma, 1 bacterium and 1 plant virus were also found associated with the foliar parts of oilseeds and pulses crops. It is evident from the results that mustard, mungbean and urdbean crops are most susceptible to 12 foliar plant pathogens in Bundelkhand of Uttar Pradesh, India.