THE Indian Spices Board has said incidences of rot disease in cardamom plantations in Kerala’s Idukki district should not raise undue concern. Fungal diseases were common during the monsoon season and the severity was a bit more than usual but not to alarming levels, the board said. Unlike previous years, the cardamom tracts in Idukki district are still experiencing continuous rains this year. As a result, the relative humidity was high which was conducive for the multiplication of fungal pathogens causing rotting of capsules and pseudostems. In plantations where prophylactic spraying of 1% Bordeaux Mixture was adopted during May and June, the incidence of fungal disease was not common, the board noted... Read More