Black spot of mangoes

Black spot is the most important disease of mangoes in regions where this fruit is grown commercially.

Anthracnose or black spot caused by the fungus colletotrichum gloeosporiodes is usually appears in the fruit only as it ripens.

It develops in all tender parts of the plant and is especially severe on the flower and flower stems. The spots first appear as a very small brown area that enlarge rapidly and become black.

Often the entire fruit surface is covered by the coalesing of the spots. The affecting areas usually crack and sink slightly.

Mangoes are also susceptible to black spot disease, the agent of which is Alternaria alternate.

Control may rely on benomyl, prochloraz or a variety of other fungicides. Hot water dips with or without fungicides for 2-5 minutes have been quite affective in control of anthracnose and stem end rots in mangoes.
Black spot of mangoes

Black Spot Disease of Mango

Black Spot Disease of Mango
Although the symptoms on leaves and fruits are by far the most commonly observed symptoms, Xanthomonas sp. mangiferaeindicae may cause lesions on all the aerial parts of the mango tree.

The first visual signs on the laves are small angular oily looking spots measuring 1-3 mm and delimited by the veins, They then turn black and appear in relief on both sides of the leaves.

Most often young lesions have an oily looking margin and are surrounded by a chlorotic halo. Old foliar lesions are brown and then become ash grey.

X. sp. mangiferaeindicae does not cause tree mortality but reduces the yield of susceptible cultivars sometimes drastically, due to very heavy defoliation.

Disease incidence is acute on these cultivars in all regions with concomitant hot and humid periods.

The disease was first observed on herbarium specimens collected from India in 1880.
Black Spot Disease of Mango