Field Guide of Discovery-based Exercises for - Aseanipm ...

Section 5 • Integrated Disease Management
Exercise No. 5.11 194
LEAF REMOVAL AND PROPER DISPOSAL AS A
DISEASE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY AGAINST LEAF
DISEASES OF ORGANICALLY-GROWN VEGETABLES
BaCKGroUND aND raTIoNalE
In certain instances, removal of entire plants is unnecessary.
Satisfactory control can be achieved by simply removing
and disposing properly diseased foliage of organic
vegetable crops 195 . For instance, lower leaves of snap bean
and garden pea are removed and burned to control powdery
mildew and bean rust. Potato foliage affected with late
blight is dehaulmed and destroyed by burning to prevent
inoculums from reaching tubers. Farmers, as an effective
management approach against purple blotch disease, report
removal and proper disposal of outermost fungus-infected
leaves of green onion and leek.
In many FFSs conducted in Benguet and Mountain Province, leaf removal is normally shared
as a common practice of farmers in managing moderate leaf disease infections in their organic
vegetable farms. It is their experience that removal of infected leaves at earlier stage of disease
development can effectively prevent spread of these diseases to other plants or plant parts. This
exercise was designed so those organic farmers can share their best experiences in employing leaf
removal and their proper disposal as a management strategy against leaf diseases of organicallygrown
vegetables.
How long will this exercise take?
• Thirty minutes to one hour field walks, observations, and interaction with farmers and handson
in learning field; and
• Thirty minutes brainstorming session in processing area.
194 Adapted from Callo, Jr., D.P., L.B. Teofilo, and H.A. Tauli (eds). 2002. Field Guide of Discovery-based Exercises for Vegetable IPM, Volume II. SEAMEO
Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines. pp247-249.
195 Quebral, F.C. 1988. What one should know about plant diseases. University of the Philippines Los Baños, College, Laguna, Philippines. pp18-20.
287
when is this exercise most
appropriate?
ɶ In FFS, TOT, and VST
sessions, when there are
early symptoms of leaf
diseases on vegetables
organically-grown in
learning and adjoining
fields; and
ɶ When farmers want to learn
innovative practices of leaf
removal and disposal from
others as a management
strategy against leaf
diseases of organicallygrown
vegetables.