New Tea Leaf Disease Threatens Assam’s Tea Industry

A team from Assam University, Silchar, has discovered a new disease affecting tea leaves, identified as leaf necrosis caused by the fungus Lasiodiplodia theobromae. This disease, previously documented only in China, is now threatening tea production in Assam by rotting tea leaves. The similarity of its symptoms to those of the Corticium-induced black rot complicates diagnosis and treatment. The research, led by Prof Piyush Pandey and supported by the Department of Biotechnology, involved sample collection from various tea gardens in the Barak and Brahmaputra valleys. Industry stakeholders recognize the importance of this research for improving disease control measures.