AUS Prof Piyush Pandey’s team discovers new fungal infection in tea plants, Assam’s Tea Industry Faces New Threat

By Saumen Pul and Jnanendra Das

Assam’s tea industry, renowned globally for its premium quality, is encountering a significant new threat as a recently identified fungal disease begins to impact tea leaf quality and production. A dedicated team of scientists from Assam University, Silchar, led by Dr Piyush Pandey, Director of the Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) and a professor of the Department of Microbiology, has discovered a novel disease called leaf necrosis, posing a serious challenge to tea yields in the region. The research was predominantly held at the Microbiology lab of Assam University and the specimens were collected from several tea gardens of Cachar and Dibrugarh.

The research team has spent the last two years studying this new fungal disease caused by Lasiodiplodia theobromae. Dr Pandey explained to Barak Bulletin that while this is not a new fungus, its occurrence in tea gardens is unprecedented. “This fungus, previously not found in tea plants, can cause infection and various diseases to the plants. This particular fungus is a different species of the Leaf Necrosis Fungus,” he noted. Even though this fungus can be found in other plants, it was for the first time found in tea plants in India. The first occurrence of this fungal disease in tea was reported in China before.

The discovery was made in the tea gardens of Cachar and Dibrugarh. The fungus, known for its resilience against pesticides, can lead to a rapid spread of infection, making it imperative to find new control measures. “This is the first time we have found this Necrosis Fungus in tea plants, and it can lead to various symptoms, which is a topic for further research and assessment,” Scientist Pandey added.

While there are widespread concerns that this fungus could potentially reduce tea leaf production by 50%, Prof. Pandey refrained from commenting on the extent of the damage, stating that it is the industry’s role to assess the impact. “As a scientist, my focus is on studying this organism and finding solutions to the problem. From my scientific experience, this fungus can lead to a fast spread of infection,” he emphasized.

The team conducted controlled experiments to study and identify the fungus. By infecting healthy plants with this fungus, they observed symptom development and were able to re-isolate the fungus, confirming its role in causing infection. The research, funded by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), was carried out by Prof. Pandey in collaboration with researcher Kheyali Ghosh, who submitted the research paper.

The scientists initially set out to investigate the well-known black rot disease in tea plants but stumbled upon this discovery, which piqued their interest and led to further isolation and research of the infected plants. The fungus is resistant to currently used fungicides like copper oxychloride being already used at the tea gardens.

As Assam’s tea industry grapples with this new threat, the findings underscore the urgent need for continued research and development of effective control measures to safeguard the region’s tea production.