Evaluation of actinomycetes isolated from southern Indian tea plantations for the biological control of tea pathogens

摘要

Tea, a perennial woody plant and being a monoculture crop, provides a stable microclimate for a number of pests and diseases. The life span of the tea bush is over 100 years, during which it is prone to attack by many pathogens, some of which are capable of inflicting major losses (Baby et al, 2001). All parts of the tea bush viz., roots, stems and foliage are susceptible to various diseases. In a monograph on tea diseases, Chen and Chen (1990) described nearly 400 pathogens. Among these, stem diseases like Phomopsis canker, branch canker and wood rot, root diseases like red, brown, black and Xylaria root rots and leaf diseases like blister blight, grey blight, red rust and bird's eye spot are identified as major problems in southern India.