Abstract:

Artemisia annua(L.) is the plant from which artemisinin (the active
compound in modern anti-malarial drugs) is extracted. It is
commonly known as sweet wormwood, sweet annie or annual
wormwood. Artemisia annuci is known to have originated from China
where it naturally occurs in Chahar and Suiyuan provinces at altitude
1000-1500 masl. Its use as a remedy for malaria- related fevers is
known to date back to 340 AD. Very few pests and diseases have
been reported on Artemisia worldwide. The most common pests are
Aphids and Ants and the most reported diseases are; Root rot and
the viral leaf curl induced disease. Introduction of Artemisia annua in
Uganda for commercial production dates back to 2005 and like other
exotic plants, there is always a possibility of pests and diseases not
known before manifesting. The major disease observed on Artemisia
annua in Uganda is the stem splitting disease caused by a bacterium,
Xanthomonas hortorum. This disease was first noted in Kamuganguzi,
seven miles on Kabale- Katuna road (at 7251ft; 1°2020'S and
30°00'9'E) in August 2007.