What Is Wrong With My Tamarind?

Are the leaves yellowing, wilting and, dying?

Do the leaves have spots or blotches?

Are the leaves curled and distorted, sticky to the touch?

Do the leaves and stems have white, cottony clusters on them?

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

Are there any entry holes in fruits, fruits may be rotting or dropping from the tree?

Do the leaves have holes?

Are the leaves covered with small bumps?

Yellow leaves that wilt and die usually indicate Root rot. Several pathogens can be the cause of root rots. Poorly drained, overly wet soil promotes rot so choose well-drained sites and add organic matter to improve drainage. Remove and destroy infected plants.

Your plants are suffering from fungal leaf spot. These can come from several fungus diseases, causing spots to occur on foliage. Spots may enlarge rapidly, especially in wet weather. Destroy infected leaves or plants. Spray plants with sulfur to prevent the disease from spreading, especially if the weather is wet. Spray between rains. Prevent problems by thinning plants to provide good air circulation.

Distorted and sticky leaves and stems 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 only with severe infestations.

White, cottony clusters on leaves and stems are caused by mealybugs. These tiny insects are covered with a fluffy white coating. They feed by sucking plants sap. They produce the sticky substance honeydew which makes leaves sticky. You can control them by washing them off the plant with water spray. Insecticidal soap should be used with severe infestations.

These symptoms indicate thrips. Thrips are tiny, yellow to black flying insects. They hide under the leaves. 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.

Symptoms of fruit borer attack are mostly visible in later stages of infestation. Dig or plow around the tree immediately after harvest to expose the pupae to predatory birds, other natural enemies, and the sun. Encourage their natural enemies like lacewings, parasitic wasps, and spiders. Chemical control is possible at the flowering stage.

Various caterpillars attack tamarind's foliage, and make holes in the leaves. You can handpick and destroy them if the infestation is not severe. BTK spray will help in controlling caterpillars.

Leaves covered by small bumps are caused by scales. These tiny, shelled insects often feed on the undersides of the leaves, causing an unhealthy appearance with yellowish blotches on the upper leaf surfaces. Scrape off minor infestations with your fingernail. Prune out badly infested growth, or use a soft brush and soapy water to gently scrub the scales off the stems. Control scales by spraying insecticidal oil during the growing season.

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.