Rabi fodder crops: Major diseases, insects and their management

Cultivated rabi fodder crops such as oat, berseem, and lucerne play a crucial role in sustaining livestock productivity during the winter season by providing high-quality green fodder rich in crude protein and essential nutrients. However, their productivity and fodder quality are severely affected by a range of diseases and insect-pests, which can cause yield losses ranging from 20 –50%, depending on the crop, pest or pathogen severity and prevailing environmental conditions. Besides reducing biomass yield, these biotic stresses adversely affect the nutritional quality and palatability of fodder, resulting in substantial economic losses to livestock farmers. Among the major diseases, stem rot, leaf blights, powdery mildew, downy mildew and rust are the most prevalent, while aphids and leaf-eating caterpillars are the principal insect-pests. This article summarised key diseases and insect-pests of major rabi fodder crops along with their symptoms and management practices.