PHOMOPSIS BLIGHT OF Solanum melongena – BRINJAL/EGGPLANT

Brinjal is one of the most important vegetable that is cultivated round the world. It belongs to the family Solanaceae. It is affected by plethora of diseases, one of which is Phomopsis blight or fruit rot. It is caused by devastating fungi Phomopsis vexans. Phomopsis blight is one of the most important biotic factor limiting the production of brinjal. It is regarded as an important disease because it makes the fruit of brinjal unmarketable and inedible limiting their role in income generation, nutrition and health. This disease reduces the production by about 40 – 70%. Phomopsis vexans attacks the stem and cause wilting, it also penetrates into fruit creating a soft rot. This pathogen can affect all the parts of the plants at any stage of the development. This review focuses on the nature of the pathogen, symptoms and signs, Epidemiology, Detection and diagnosis, management of Phomopsis blight of brinjal.