Identification Symptoms

Characteristic symptoms include rotting and excessive shedding of immature nuts form the trees.
The first sign of the disease is on the nuts, on which a water soaked lesions usually develop towards the base. Because of this watery rot, the disease is locally called as “Neerugole”.
Later leads to discoloration, discoloration starts browning then leads to deep browning, later dropping of nuts takes place.
The fallen nuts show the felty, white mass of mycelium of the fungus which soon envelops the entire surface. Infected nuts loose their luster. This type of symptoms with boost like growth of the fungus , as also locally called as “Busurugole”.
The disease gradually spreads among the bunch ultimately covering the entire bunch wherein they rot and shed from the bunches.
Fruit stalks and rachis of inflorescence are also affected. They are lighter in weight and deteriorate and are unsuitable for chewing.
Very often, the top of the affected trees may also dry resulting in withering of leaves and bunches.