my kadi patta new shoots are curled and sticky and leaves have spots, how to manage safely for a leaf crop
2 Answers
Curled, distorted, sticky new shoots are usually from the curry leaf psyllid, the main pest, which sucks sap from tender flushes and secretes honeydew, while leaf spot diseases cause brown spots in humid weather. Because curry leaf is harvested for eating, lean on non chemical steps and strict pre harvest intervals: prune and destroy badly infested flushes, keep the plants open by pruning for air flow, and use a biopesticide or a product labelled and permitted for curry leaf only when needed, respecting the pre harvest interval. For leaf spot, improve spacing and air flow and remove affected leaves. Avoid strong chemicals close to plucking and always wash the leaves. Ask your KVK for the safest recommended option, since curry leaf is eaten fresh.
Since we pluck and sell kadi patta to eat, I avoid strong sprays and just prune off the worst affected sticky shoots and keep the bush open. That handles the psyllid most of the time on my small plot.