Description:

• This disease occurs in young papaya seedlings.

Damage Symptoms:

• Lesions are seen on the Papaya plant stem at or just above soil level.

• The Papaya plant stem becomes watery and shrinks. Other symptoms include plant underdevelopment, yellowing of leaves, and wilting of the plant.

• Eventually, the seedlings collapse due to the weakening of the stem tissue.

Preventive Measures:

• Before sowing, the seeds can be treated with Trichoderma viride (3–4 g/kg of seed) or Captan (3 g/kg of seed).

Control Measures:

• Apply copper oxychloride or carbendazim.