Pacific Pests, Pathogens and Weeds - Online edition

Pacific Pests, Pathogens & Weeds

Arrowroot leaf spot (222)

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Photo 1. Arrowroot showing leaf spot, Cercospora taccae, mainly on the older leaves.

Photo 2. Large brown spots with yellow haloes on arrowroot, caused by the leaf spot fungus, Cercospora taccae.

Summary

  • Narrow distribution. Philippines and Oceania. Fungal disease; possibly serious, but little researched.
  • Spots, round to irregular, grey-brown, with yellow halo on mature leaves. A wet weather disease; spores spread by wind and rain from underside of leaves.
  • Cultural control: difficult as plants harvested at different times and replanted in same place. Remove infected leaves and burn them to delay onset of disease during wet times; practice crop rotation, and plant 'gardens' at one time.
  • Chemical control: not appropriate – uneconomic, and potential to contaminate fresh water lens.

Common Name

Arrowroot leaf spot

Scientific Name

Cercospora taccae

AUTHOR Grahame Jackson
Information from Wright JG et al. (2005) Weeds and plant pathogenic fungi and viruses in Tokelau. SPC Land Resources Division, Suva, Fiji. (https://www.google.com/search?q=arrowroot+leaf+spot&oq=arrowroot+leaf+spot&aqs=chrome..69i57j33i160.13586j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8; and from Phengsintham P et al. (2014) Monograph of Cercosporoid fungi from Laos. current Research in Environment & Applied Mycology. (https://www.creamjournal.org/pdf/Cream_3_1_2.pdf). Photos 1&2 Kohler F, et al. (1997) Diseases of cultivated crops in Pacific Island countries. South Pacific Commission. Pirie Printers Pty Limited, Canberra, Australia.

Produced with support from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research under project PC/2010/090: Strengthening integrated crop management research in the Pacific Islands in support of sustainable intensification of high-value crop production, implemented by the University of Queensland and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.

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