Leaf curl virus is spread through whiteflies. The disease can occur at any time of the year but is more frequent during the rainy season due to the increased number of whiteflies.
Damage Symptoms:
The leaf tips curl upwards.
Browning and thickening of the leaves occur.
Other symptoms include smaller leaves and plant deformation.
Papaya Fruit size and quality reduces.
In severe cases, the disease may result in early maturation and shedding of fruits and may also lead to the death of the plant.
Preventive Measures:
Affected papaya plants should be pulled out to minimize the spread.
Place sticky traps to reduce the whitefly population, which acts as a vector for the Papaya leaf curl virus.
Control Measures:
Apply Imidacloprid at 0.4 ml/l or Thiamethoxam at 0.2 g/l.
