Fungus Fighters: Protecting Your Gram Crop Quiz

Explore key strategies and knowledge areas essential for managing fungal diseases in gram cultivation. Boost your crop's health by understanding prevention, symptoms, and treatment options for common gram diseases.

1. Identifying Wilt Disease in Gram

   Which symptom most commonly indicates the presence of Fusarium wilt in a gram crop?

   1. Powdery white coating on pods
   2. Yellowing and wilting of lower leaves
   3. Leaf rolling and edge browning
   4. Circular black spots on leaves

   Explanation: Yellowing and wilting of lower leaves is characteristic of Fusarium wilt because the fungus blocks water transport in the roots and stems. Powdery white coating relates more to powdery mildew, circular black spots typically indicate blight, and leaf rolling with edge browning is not a classic wilt symptom.

2. Choosing the Right Fungicide Timing

   When is the ideal time to apply fungicides for controlling Ascochyta blight in gram crops?

   1. After harvest during residue management
   2. During seed storage
   3. At early flowering stage before symptom appearance
   4. Only after spots develop on leaves

   Explanation: Preventive application at early flowering helps protect plants before infection takes hold. Applying after harvest does not prevent field disease, treating seeds targets seed-borne infection, and applying only after spot development is often too late for effective disease control.

3. Seed Treatment Benefits

   Why is seed treatment recommended for managing seed-borne fungal diseases in gram?

   1. It reduces early infection and improves seedling survival
   2. It increases seed size
   3. It changes plant flowering time
   4. It helps in weed suppression

   Explanation: Seed treatment targets fungal pathogens on or within the seeds, helping prevent early infection and increasing chances of healthy seedlings. It does not alter seed size, flowering time, or directly suppress weeds.

4. Cultural Practices for Disease Prevention

   Which cultural practice best helps minimize the risk of collar rot in gram fields?

   1. Ensuring good field drainage
   2. Transplanting late in the season
   3. Spraying micronutrients weekly
   4. Increasing seed rate

   Explanation: Collar rot thrives in waterlogged soils, so maintaining drainage reduces disease risk. Spraying micronutrients does not target the fungus, high seed rates can worsen outbreaks, and late transplanting may expose plants to more disease pressure.

5. Resistant Varieties Role

   Planting disease-resistant gram varieties is most effective for controlling which type of fungal pathogens?

   1. All bacterial diseases
   2. Those that have repeated epidemic history in the region
   3. Aphid-borne viruses only
   4. Harmful soil nematodes

   Explanation: Resistant varieties are bred against fungi that have historically caused major problems in specific areas. They are not developed to combat bacterial diseases, nematodes, or viruses such as those spread by aphids.