Silent disease affecting Silver oak

 Silent disease affecting  Silver oak 

Koodanda Pranav and Koodanda Ravi

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Silver oak trees are grown in almost all plantations in Kodagu district also in allover in Karnataka State.  They ensure an additional income if coffee and pepper crops fail due to floods and heavy rain. The trees can be cut and sold without permission from the forest department. However no a deadly disease is being spread to trees grown the district. It is affected our greenery, and Forest.

Silver oak is their preferred shade tree now. But research shows that it affects carbon sequestration and tree diversity in Kodagu. . This ‘native shade’ coffee is still prevalent in the district.

Kodagu’s coffee farms were created when farmers cleared forest undergrowth. They started growing coffee under the shade of giant evergreen trees

Chettimada Prashanth,

 A grower in Hoddur, has sounded an alert to fellow growers to take precautionary measures immediately. Otherwise  " The situation may become worst for us."

Chowrira Ramesh of Hoddur said, that the disease will also affect the sellers of silver oak trees. Silver oak is the one of the tree which the growers cut and sell without any permission from the forest department.

 Also, growing the tree is a matter of pride for the planters. Besides providing shade for coffee plants. The trees also offers support to pepper seedlings. It is said the disease is spreading to pepper seedlings through the infected trees .

Root rot

The raising concerns among the planters. Trees struck by soil borne disease called 'root rot' should be uprooted, else the disease will spread to coffee plants and make them wilt. "The disease spreads fast," explained Veerendra Kumar, plant protection scientist at Krishi Vigyan Kendra , Gonikoppal, Kodagu. He suggests spraying of a fungicide 4gram Carbendazim mixed in a litre of water  at the bottom of the tree . The infected plant to contain the disease. He said nearly 10 liters of the mix should be sprayed. The affected trees should be uprooted and the lime should be applied on that place where it was grown.