Diseases of Non-Tuberous Medicinal Plants

Medicinal plants constitute an important group of horticultural crops and many non-tuberous medicinal plants viz., aloe vera (Aloe vera), basil (Ocimum sanctum), mentha (Mentha arvensis), noni (Morinda citrifolia), isabgol (Plantago ovata), mulethi or liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), rosa grass (Cymbopogan nardus), etc. are currently used to prepare stimulants, tonics, carminatives, and expectorants. Various biotic and abiotic stresses affect the production of these medicinal crops. Among the biotic stresses, diseases caused by fungi, bacteria, viruses, and nematodes are major constraints. Diseases of aloe vera (such as anthracnose, dry rot, rust, soft rot), noni (dry rot, leaf blight, soft rot, root-knot), basil (anthracnose, leaf spot. powdery mildew, wilt), mentha (leaf spot, root-rot, rust, wilt), isabgol (Downey mildew, wilt), rosa grass (leaf blight. Red leaf spot), liquorice (leaf spot, root-rot) pose a serious risk to the successful cultivation of these medicinal plants. The economically significant diseases of non-tuberous medicinal plants are discussed and the relevant information is described in this chapter.