November 2005. There is an interest in Barbados in the herb Pogostemon cablin (Benth) commonly called patchouli. Can members provide any infomration on pests and diseases of this herb.
Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) in patchouli in India, in general, and in Karnataka (Bangalore), in particular, can be a problem. They cause a serious soil-borne problem and in association with soil-borne pathogens, a root-wilt complex. Damage can be very high, with root galling, like in Lady’s finger (Hibiscus esculentus), and drying and defoliation.
The Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plant (http://www.imap.res.in) in India does work on patchouli.
See Google Scholar for references on the herb and its diseases; for instance: Naoto Kadotani, Masato Ikegami (?) Production of patchouli mild mosaic virus resistant patchouli plants by genetic engineering of coat protein precursor gene. Pest Management Science Volume 58(11): 1137-1142. Department of Bioscience, Faculty of Applied Bioscience, University of Agriculture, 1-1-1 Sakuragaoka, Setagaya, Tokyo 156-8502, Japan.
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