SESSION VI. DISEASE AND PEST PROBLEMS IN MANGO - INVESTIGATIONS ON THE CONTROL OF BLACK TIP DISORDER OF MANGO

Black tip necrosis of mango has been reported to be caused by brick kiln fumes (2, 4, 5, 6). Mango orchards located in the vicinity of brick kilns suffer heavy losses every year. The tip of the fruit first turns yellow and then black. The affected portion becomes hard and its growth is checked. The fruit becomes unattractive and loses its quality.

Das Gupta (1) and Prasad and Singh (3) reported that the disorder was prevented by spraying borax. Prasad and Singh (3) thought that the alkaline reaction of borax solution acted as buffer against the injurious gases of brick kiln which were mostly acidic in reaction. The present studies were, therefore,conducted to find out the effect of sodium carbonate, sodium hydroxide and borax sprays in preventing the incidence of black tip in mango.

Studies were conducted during 1967 and 1968 in two mango orchards situated in outskirts of Pathankot. Six black kilns were operating within a radius of ½ kilometre from these orchards and the mango crop suffered heavily from the incidence of black tip. Experimental material comprised of nearly twenty five year old trees of Langra, Gola, Dusheri and Fazri varieties.