Welcome to our blog on Common Anthurium plant diseases and control! This article will explore the causal organisms, damage symptoms, spread, treatment options, prevention strategies, and management techniques for these diseases. Join us and learn how to protect your anthurium plants and ensure a good yield. Let’s begin, then.
Major and Common Damaging Anthurium Diseases
Anthurium is a perennial flowering herb in the Araceae family, native to Central and South America. Anthurium is a beautiful tropical plant renowned for its strikingly vibrant and uniquely shaped flowers. They possess glossy, heart-shaped leaves with prominent veins, providing an attractive backdrop for their showy inflorescences. The flowers are composed of a brightly colored spathe, often red, pink, or white, which encloses the tiny true flowers called spadix, which aids in attracting pollinators.
| Disease | Characteristic Symptoms |
| Bacterial Blight | Water-soaked leaf lesions, bacterial ooze, and extensive leaf damage. |
| Black Rot | Brown to black lesions, sunken appearance, and necrosis. |
| Botrytis Blight | Grayish-brown fuzzy patches or spots, grayish mold growth, and decay. |
| Anthracnose | Sunken lesions with concentric rings and brown spots on flowers. |
| Powdery Mildew | White, powdery fungal growth, leaf curling, and reduced vigor. |
| Fusarium Wilt | Yellowing and wilting of leaves and vascular discoloration. |
| Leaf Blight | Black lesions with a yellow halo, defoliation, and reduced vigor. |
| Leaf Spot | Grayish spots, premature leaf drop, and sunken appearance. |
| Mosaic | Concentric mottled or mosaic discoloration, wrinkling, & flower streaks. |
| Root Rot | Plant collapse, root discoloration, foul odor, and decayed roots. |
How to Identify and Treat Anthurium Diseases
Bacterial blight Disease Control in Anthurium
- Causal Organism: Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. dieffenbachiae.
- Symptoms: The characteristic symptom is the formation and expansion of water-soaked leaf lesions. Infected plants show chlorosis, extensive leaf damage, and bacterial ooze on the lesions. In severe cases, leaf wilting and browning are noticed.
- Spread: The bacteria spread via splashing rain and contaminated tools or hands during pruning and handling.
- Treatment: Spray copper hydroxide or copper sulfate. Practice sanitation, pruning, and spacing. Avoid overwatering, water splashes, and maintain proper airflow.
Black Rot Disease Control in Anthurium
- Causal Organism: Phytophthora spp.
- Symptoms: The characteristic symptom is the formation and expansion of dark brown to black lesions on the leaves, stems, and petioles. Infected plants show a water-soaked appearance, leaf chlorosis, curling, wilting, and necrosis.
- Spread: The spores spread via contaminated water, tools, or infected plant material.
- Treatment: Spray mefenoxam, metalaxyl, or phosphorous acid. Practice sanitation, pruning, improve drainage, sterilize tools, and avoid overwatering.
Botrytis Blight Disease Control in Anthurium
- Causal Organism: Botrytis cinerea
- Symptoms: The characteristic symptom is the formation of grayish-brown fuzzy patches or spots on leaves, flowers, and stems. Infected plants show grayish mold growth, a water-soaked appearance, brown to black discoloration, decay, and collapse of flower buds.
- Spread: The spores are airborne and spread by wind currents and sometimes by water.
- Treatment: Spray thiophanate-methyl, iprodione, or fenhexamid. Maintain spacing, airflow, a