Groundnut Arachis pintoi L., is a worldwide valuable oilseed and food legume which sustains the livelihood of millions of smallholder farmers, especially in the tropics and subtropics. Among the different biotic constraints that affect its productivity, tikka disease caused by Cercospora arachidicola (early leaf spot) and Nothopassalora personata (late leaf spot) is the most economically important foliar disease. This review covers the present knowledge of the biology, symptoms, epidemiology, and economic importance of tikka disease, and critically assesses the current management practices such as host resistance, cultural management, biological control and fungicide application. Special focus on limitations of chemical control, fungicide resistance, and the need for integrated disease management (IDM). In summary, the review suggests that a holistic approach to lowering the amount of losses to this disease will be achieved through a combination of resistant cultivars, timely cultural practices, and judicious fungicide use which is backed up by disease forecasting.
