Major Diseases of Aromatic Plants

Aromatic plants provide the chief raw materials for cosmetics, perfumery and food industries. In recent years, with the rising need for therapeutic herbal medicines, attention towards aromatic plants has increased. Because of inherent and remedial pharmacological characteristics, aromatic plants are also exploited as natural medicines, and are mainly used for the extraction of essential oils, which have tremendous application in various industries. Aromatic plants become infested with many diseases that cause degradation of the quality and quantity of the required economic product. Considerable success has been achieved in managing the disease through cultural practices and biological and chemical control. The present chapter focuses on major diseases caused by fungi, viruses and bacteria threatening the bioactive potential, biomass, yield and various plant products of important aromatic plants, viz., basil (Ocimum spp.), citronella (Cymbopogon spp.), eucalyptus (Eucalyptus spp.), Geranium (Geranium spp.), mint (Mentha spp.), rose (Rosa spp.), orchid (Orchis spp.), tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa), etc. To enhance metabolite productive potential and raw material quality, necessary strategies of management for diseases have been defined, which are presented in the chapter.