Why does My Cardamom Look Unhealthy?

Are there any water-soaked lesions on rachis, the plant had dried up?

Are the seedlings dying and the stems are girdled or rotted at soil line?

Are there any thin chlorotic flecks on the youngest leaves of a stem which develop into pale green stripes running from midrib to leaf margin parallel to veins?

Are the leaves curled and distorted?

Are the leaves covered in coarse stippling and may appear silvery?

Capsule rot or Azhukal is a fungal disease favored by wet, poorly draining soils. Rotting capsules with a foul odor will fall from the plant. Plants must be protected by removing all crop debris including diseased plants and burning them.

The most likely cause for these symptoms is a damping-off disease. Remove and destroy all infected plants. To prevent damping-off let the soil surface dry between waterings, thin seedlings to avoid overcrowding, and do not add nitrogen fertilizers until plants have developed leaves.

Mottled or streaked leaves are caused by the Cardamom mosaic virus. There is no cure for infected plants. Remove and destroy all flowers that have the symptoms of the mosaic virus. Mosaic virus is spread by aphids, so the best way of preventing the disease is to control these insects.

Distorted and curled leaves are caused by aphids. These tiny insects cluster under leaves and on growing tips where they feed on plant sap. Leaves, stems, and buds get distorted and later leaves and flowers drop from the plant. You can control them by washing them off the plant with water spray. Insecticidal soap should be used with severe infestations.

These symptoms may indicate thrips. Thrips are tiny, yellow to black flying insects. Severely infected plant parts should be removed and destroyed. Control thrips by introducing lady beetles or lacewings, their natural predators. Insecticidal soap helps in severe infestations.

Yellow, stunted plants and roots that have swollen galls indicate root-knot nematodes. Other symptoms are plants wilting during bright, hot days. Prevent root-knot nematodes by applying chitin or introducing parasitic nematodes to the soil before planting. Solarizing the soil also helps in preventing root-knot nematodes.