DISEASE OF CASHEW

DISEASES OF CASHEW-Anacardium accidentale

1. Die – back or Pink disease: Corticium salmonicolor
2. Damping off: Phytophthora palmivora
3. Anthracnose: Colletotrichum gloeosporioides
4. Inflorescence blight: Colletotrichum mangiferae and Phomopsis anacardii
5. Shoot rot and leaf fall : Phytophthora nicotianae var. nicotianae

     1.Die – back or Pink disease: Corticium salmonicolor

Symptoms: It is a very common disease of cashew, often assuming great importance during the south-west monsoon period Whitish or pinkish growth of the fungus can be seen on the affected branches. The fungus penetrates into the deeper tissues and causes the death of the shoots from the tip downwards and hence the name dieback. After heavy rains a film of silky thread of the fungus is seen on the branches. In advanced stages, the bark splits and peels off. Some times only one branch is affected, but often many branches turn yellow and shed giving a barren appearance to a portion of the tree.

Management:

• Prune the affected branches well below the site of infection and destroy them.

• is to be done twice, once in. May-June and the second during October.

• Collect all dried up and Protect the cut surfaces by applying Bordeaux paste.

• If disease is severe, it is advisable to spray Bordeaux mixture (I %).

• Spraying affected branches to reduce the source of inoculum.

          2 .Damping off: Phytophthora palmivoraSymptoms:

• The Disease occurs in nurseries where drainage conditions are poor.

• The organisms attack the roots or collar region of "seedlings or both the regions and cause their death. when seedlings are infected by Phytophthora palmivora, they become pale.

• Water-soaked lesions can be observed at the collar region which turn dark and girdles the stem.

• The seedlings droop and ultimately the plants die.

• On leaves, water-soaked lesions can be observed in severe cases. These lesions enlarge and coalesce, often covering the entire leaf lamina.

• All the organisms in combination or alone may cause the disease.

Management :

• Provide adequate drainage in the beds and polythene bags.

• Drench the beds/bags with 0.1 % Agallol or 1 % Bordeaux mixture.

3. Anthracnose: Gloeosporium gloeosporioidesSymptoms:

• The disease has been reported in an epidemic form from Tamil Nadu. It is known to cause severe loss in Brazil.

• The fungus infests the tender leaves, twigs and forms redddish brown, water-soaked lesions. On the affected region exudation of resin can be seen.

• The lesions enlarge and kill the shoots. The tender leaves are crinkled and fruits shrivelled.

• The infected inflorescences turn black. Repeated Infection of the terminal shoots leads to the death of the tree in course of time.

0 Management :

• Destroy all affected branches

• Spray the plants with.5% Bordeaux mixture or Mancozeb 0.25%

4. Inflorescence blight :Gloeosporium gloeosporioidesSymptoms:

• This is also a common disease in Kerala especially during the monsoon period.

• The characteristic symptom is the drying of floral branches. The symptoms appear as minute water soaked lesions on the main rachis and secondary rachis.

• The lesions are pinkish brown, enlarge and soon turn scabby. Gummy exudates can be seen at the affected regions.

• The lesions develop into bigger patches and result in drying up of the inflorescences. The incidence is very severe when cloudy weather prevails.

Management :

• A combination spray of a fungicide (Cuman L 100 ml in 100 litres of water or Blitox 250 g) and an insecticide Dimecron (30 ml in 100 litres) is recommended.

• It is often claimed that the primary cause of the disease is the tea mosquito and fungi'are only secondary organisms.

5. Shoot rot and leaf fall : P. nicotianae var. nicotianae

Symptoms: During the south west monsoon months of June - ­August extensive leaf fall and shoot rot symptoms are observed. Black elongate lesions are first developed on the stem with exudation of gum. Later, infection spreads up and down, causing the tender stem to collapse and tender leaves to shrivel up. The lower mature leaves are also infected with black elongated lesions on mid rib, which later spread to the main lateral veins and the leaf blade. The infected leaves are soon shed.

Management:

• Spraying with Bordeaux mixture (l %) before the onset of monsoon will check the spread of the disease.

 

Nutrition facts of Avocados(Persea americana)

Avocado's

Persea americana

 

Avocados are distinct fruits with high-fat content and calories. Subtly flavorful yet buttery, they are among the most popular fruits having nutrition profile similar to that of some edible nuts and seeds.

Some of the common names for this staple fruit are alligator pear, aguacate, butter pear, etc.

Botanically, the fruit belongs to the family of Lauraceae, the family that also includes some unusual members like bay laurel, cinnamon, etc. Scientific name is Persea americana.

Avocados are medium sized evergreen trees of about 20-30 feet in height with large green leaves. The tree prefers fertile soil with high moisture content to flourish. Small light green flowers appear during winter. After about 8-10 months later, hundreds of pear shaped green color fruits appear on the tree.

Avocados, like bananas, mature on the tree but ripen only after their harvest. Once Ripen, they turn dark green or deep purple and yield to gentle pressure. Inside, cream color flesh has butter-like consistency with bland taste yet pleasant aroma. The fruit features centrally placed single brown color seed. On an average, each fruit weighs about 300-700 g, although heavier avocados are quite common in the markets.

Health benefits of avocado

Avocados, like olives, are high in mono-unsaturated fats and calories. However, they are very rich in dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals and packed with numerous health benefiting plant nutrients.

Their creamy pulp is a very good source of mono-unsaturated fatty acids like oleic and palmitoleic acids as well as omega-6 poly-unsaturated fatty acid linoleic acid. Research studies suggest that Mediterranean diet that is rich in mono-unsaturated fatty acids help lower LDL or bad cholesterol and increase HDL or good-cholesterol, thereby, prevent coronary artery disease and strokes by favoring healthy blood lipid profile.

They are a very good source of soluble and insoluble dietary fiber. 100 g fruit provides 6.7 g or about 18% of recommended daily intake. Dietary fibers help lower blood cholesterol levels and prevent constipation.

In addition, the fruit, like persimmons, contain high concentration of tannin. Tannin, a poly-phenolic compound, which was once labeled as an anti-nutritional agent is in-fact, has beneficial anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcer and anti-oxidant properties.

Its flesh contains health promoting flavonoid poly-phenolic antioxidants such as cryptoxanthin, lutein, zea-xanthin, beta and alpha carotenes in small amounts. Together, these compounds act as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play a role in aging and various disease processes.

Total antioxidant strength (ORAC) of avocados (raw, Hass variety) is 1933 µmol TE/100 g.

They are also good in many health-benefiting vitamins. Vitamin A, E, and K are especially concentrated in its creamy pulp.

Avocados are also excellent sources of minerals like iron, copper, magnesium, and manganese. Magnesium is essential for bone strengthening and has a cardiac-protective role as well. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Iron and copper are required in the production of red blood cells.

Fresh avocado pear is a very rich source of potassium. 100 g of fruit provides 485 mg or about 10% of daily-required levels. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids where it helps regulate heart rate and blood pressure, countering bad effects of sodium.

 

See the table below for in depth analysis of nutrients: Avocado (Persea americana), Refuse seed and skin, Nutrition value per 100 g. (Source: USDA National Nutrient data base)
Principle	Nutrient Value	Percentage of RDA
Energy	160 Kcal	8%
Carbohydrates	8.53 g	6.5%
Protein	2.0 g	3.5%
Total Fat	14.66 g	48%
Cholesterol	0 mg	0%
Dietary Fiber	6.7 g	18%
Vitamins
Folates	81 µg	20%
Niacin	1.738 mg	11%
Pantothenic acid	1.389 mg	28%
Pyridoxine	0.257 mg	20%
Riboflavin	0.130 mg	10%
Thiamin	0.067 mg	5.5%
Vitamin A	146 IU	5%
Vitamin C	10 mg	17%
Vitamin E	2.07 mg	14%
Vitamin K	21 µg	17.5%
Electrolytes
Sodium	7 mg	0.5%
Potassium	485 mg	10%
Minerals
Calcium	12 mg	1%
Copper	0.190 mg	21%
Iron	0.55 mg	7%
Magnesium	29 mg	7%
Manganese	0.142 mg	6%
Phosphorus	52 mg	7%
Selenium	0.4 µg	<1%
Zinc	0.64 mg	6%
Phyto-nutrients
Carotene-α	24 µg	--
Carotene-ß	62 µg	--
Cryptoxanthin-ß	28 µg	--
Lutein-zeaxanthin	271 µg	--

Selection and storage

Avocados are readily available in the market year around. Buy medium size, fully ripe fruit with pleasant aroma. The fruit that is ready to eat should yield to pressure when gently squeezed.

Avoid very hard fruits as they may take quite some time to ripen properly. On the other hand, avoid buying excessively ripe ones as their pulp is rather mushy and featuring little, if any, flavoring. Furthermore, look carefully for any surface cuts, blemishes, and spots.

At home; store avocado in a cool, dark place. Unripe fruits usually placed in a paper wrap with a banana or apple in order to speed up ripening.

 

Preparation and Serving methods

Ripe avocado has delicate nutty flavor and butter like in taste. To eat; cut the fruit lengthwise at its center all the way around the seed. Then rotate or twist the two halves in opposite directions and gently pull apart. Remove the seed using a spoon. Gently peel the skin with your fingers starting from the stem end. Cut the pulp into desired cubes.

Sprinkle or rinse the cut sections in lemon juice to prevent enzymatic brown discoloration until ready to use. 

 

Here are some serving tips:

In many parts of Central America, the fruit is eaten as it is with some added pepper powder, lime juice, and salt.

The fruit sections or cubes are added to vegetable/fruit salads, salsa, etc. 

Mashed avocado fillings used to make Mexican polenta and pancakes. Guacamole is a favorite avocado based Mexican dip.

Similarly, guasacaca is Venezuelan the variant prepared using vinegar instead of lemon juice.

Mashed fruit may be mixed with ice-cream, shakes, and fruit juices.

 

Safety profile

Raw unripe avocados concentrated with tannins. High tannin content makes them bitter and unappetizing. Very high levels of tannins in the food prevent minerals like iron, calcium and phosphorus and vitamins from absorption in the gut.

Although very rare, eating avocados may result in allergic symptoms in some latex-sensitive persons. The symptoms may include itching in the throat, hives, runny nose, breathlessness, etc. Often the symptoms are mild and self-limiting. 

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Ginger nutrition facts

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The ginger herb is thought to originate in the Himalayan foothills of North India. Today, it is widely grown all over the world as a major commercial crop. Ginger plant grows to about a meter in height. Completely grown plant features thin grass like dark-green leaves and small yellow flowers.

Its root features knotty finger-like projections that grow downward from the ground surface. Fresh raw root has a silver gray outer surface. Cut sections feature creamy white, yellow, or red-colored crunchy flesh depending upon the variety. The root often contains fibrils running through its center, especially in over-matured. Its pungent, spicy and aromatic smell is due to essential oils and phenolic compounds such as gingerols and shogaols.

Galangal (Alpinia galanga), also known as blue ginger, is closely related herb that is used extensively in East Asian regions, especially in Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesian cuisine. Galangal has mild, subtle flavor and less pungent than ginger.

Health benefits of ginger root

• Ginger has been in use since ancient times for its anti-inflammatory, carminative, anti-flatulent, and anti-microbial properties. Total antioxidant strength measured in terms of oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) of ginger root is 14840 µmol TE/100 g.
• The root contains health benefiting essential oils such as gingerol, zingerone, shogaol, farnesene, and small amounts of β-phelladrene, cineol, and citral. Gingerols help improve the intestinal motility and have been anti-inflammatory, painkiller (analgesic), nerve soothing, anti-pyretic as well as anti-bacterial properties. Studies have shown that it may reduce nausea induced by motion sickness or pregnancy and may help relieve migraine headache.
• Zingerone, a chemical compound which gives pungent character to the ginger root, is effective against E.coli induced diarrhea, especially in children.
• This herb root only has 80 calories per 100 g and contains no cholesterol. Nonetheless, it composes many essential nutrients and vitamins such as pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), pantothenic acid (vitamin B-5) that are required for optimum health.
• Furthermore, the herb also contains a good amount of minerals like potassium, manganese, copper, and magnesium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure.

Medicinal uses

• Ginger root slices, boiled in water with added lemon or orange juice, and honey, is a popular herbal drink in ayurvedic medicine to relieve common cold, cough, and sore throat.
• Its extraction is used as a vehicle to mask bitterness and after-taste in traditional ayurvedic preparations.
• Gingerols increase the motility of the gastrointestinal tract and have analgesic, sedative, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties. Studies have shown that it may reduce nausea caused by motion sickness or pregnancy and may relieve migraine.

Selection and storage

Fresh ginger roots in a market.

Ginger plant can be grown at home garden or as potherb so that its fresh roots and leaves are readily available for immediate use. In the store, however, choose the organic, fresh root over the dried form, since it is superior in quality and flavor.

Fresh roots should feature heavy in hand, stout, juicy, has grey-yellow peel and free from dark spots or mold. Dried, powdered, or ground root can also be found in these stores; however, they may contain significantly reduced levels of volatile oils like gingerols.

Fresh root can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a month or so. Powdered/ground ginger should be stored in the refrigerator in airtight containers.

Culinary use

Wash fresh ginger root in cold running water or rinse for few minutes to remove any sand, soil or pesticide residues. Fresh-root has pungent flavor and spicy, peppery taste that hit the palate and nostrils. In order to keep the fragrance and flavor intact, it is generally added at the last moment in the cooking recipes, since prolonged cooking results in evaporation of essential oils.

• Fresh or dried ginger root along with garlic, cilantro, onion, tomato, cumin and mustard seeds made to a flavorful curry paste which is then added to variety of vegetable, meat and curry/soup preparations.
• The herb root is also used in the preparation of mango, lemon and spondias (ambara in India) pickles.
• Fresh root can be used in the preparation of variety of spicy snacks, candies, and ginger bread in food industry.
• Ginger tea is a popular drink in many Asian countries.

Safety profile

Ginger stimulates many secretary glands in the body; it has "sialogogic" effect (increases salivary juice secretion in the mouth) on salivary glands; increase bile secretion and its release. Therefore, the root may be contraindicated in patients with history of gallstones.

Ginger root is also known to potentiate the toxicity of anti-coagulant drug warfarin, resulting in severe bleeding episodes. (Medical disclaimer).

See the table below for in depth analysis of nutrients: Ginger root (Zingiber officinale), Fresh, Nutrient value per 100 g (Source: USDA National Nutrient data base)
Principle			Nutrient Value		Percentage of RDA
Energy			80 Kcal		4%
Carbohydrates			17.77 g		13.5%
Protein			1.82 g		3%
Total Fat			0.75 g		3%
Cholesterol			0 mg		0%
Dietary Fiber			2.0 g		5%
Vitamins
Folates			11 µg		3%
Niacin			0.750 mg		4.5%
Pantothenic acid			0.203 mg		4%
Pyridoxine			0.160 mg		12%
Vitamin A			0 IU		0%
Vitamin C			5 mg		8%
Vitamin E			0.26 mg		1.5%
Vitamin K			0.1 µg		0%
Electrolytes
Sodium			13 mg		1%
Potassium			415 mg		9%
Minerals
Calcium			16 mg		1.6%
Copper
Iron			0.60 mg		7.5%
Magnesium			43 mg		11%
Manganese			0.229 mg		10%
Phosphorus			34 mg		5%
Zinc			0.34 mg		3%