Mastering Mango Gummosis Quiz Quiz

Explore the causes, symptoms, and management strategies for mango gummosis, a common disease affecting mango orchards. Develop your horticultural expertise by answering scenario-based questions about diagnostics and control methods.

1. Identifying Gummosis Symptoms

   A mango farmer notices dark lesions with a gummy exudate oozing from the tree trunk. Which symptom best indicates gummosis in mango trees?

   1. Powdery white coating on leaves
   2. Gum secretion from bark lesions
   3. Wilted branches with shriveled fruit
   4. Yellowing of lower leaves without lesions

   Explanation: Gum secretion from bark lesions is the characteristic symptom of mango gummosis. Powdery white coating suggests powdery mildew, wilted branches with shriveled fruit point to dieback, and yellowing of leaves without lesions is more typical of nutrient deficiencies.

2. Causal Organism of Gummosis

   Which pathogen is most commonly responsible for causing gummosis in mango trees?

   1. Phytophthora infestans
   2. Colletotrichum gloeosporioides
   3. Botryosphaeria spp.
   4. Oidium mangiferae

   Explanation: Botryosphaeria spp. are the principal fungi associated with mango gummosis. Oidium mangiferae is linked to powdery mildew, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides causes anthracnose, and Phytophthora infestans is known for late blight in potatoes, not mango.

3. Best Cultural Management Practice

   Which cultural practice most effectively helps reduce the risk of gummosis in a mango orchard?

   1. Spraying with insecticides monthly
   2. Avoiding trunk injuries during pruning
   3. Applying high-nitrogen fertilizer
   4. Planting mango trees in dense shade

   Explanation: Avoiding trunk injuries minimizes entry points for gummosis pathogens. High-nitrogen fertilizer, insecticide spraying, and planting in dense shade do not directly prevent gummosis and can sometimes worsen plant health or disease risk.

4. Chemical Control of Gummosis

   A grower wants to use a chemical method to treat early-stage gummosis in mango trees. Which type of chemical application is commonly recommended?

   1. Application of copper-based fungicides on wounds
   2. Foliar application of aphid insecticides
   3. Root zone treatment with nematicides
   4. Herbicide spray on infected bark

   Explanation: Copper-based fungicides are widely recommended for disinfecting wounds caused by gummosis. Herbicides, insecticides for aphids, and nematicides target different pests, not the gummosis-causing pathogen.

5. Integrated Disease Management

   Which statement best illustrates an integrated approach for managing mango gummosis?

   1. Focusing only on breeding disease-resistant varieties
   2. Irrigating trees with excess water to wash pathogens away
   3. Combining proper sanitation, careful pruning, and fungicide use
   4. Relying exclusively on continuous pesticide application

   Explanation: An integrated approach combines sanitation, pruning, and chemical control measures for effective gummosis management. Exclusive reliance on pesticides, breeding alone, or excessive irrigation are not comprehensive or recommended standalone strategies.