Pepper Plant Problems and Diseases

Pepper Plant Problems and Diseases

Hot and Sweet Peppers

luv2garden.com - Abigal Gordon's Gardens ®

How to Grow Peppers Varieties of Peppers

Cultural Practices to Avoid Plant Disease
Pepper Plant Pests

Anthracnose	Phytophthora Blight	Alternaria rot
Blossom end rot	Cercospora leaf spot	Ripe Rot
Sunscald	Gray leaf spot	Gummy stem blight
Bacterial Spot	Pepper speck

Fungus related diseases are the most common in Pepper plants. Plants generally display discoloration, spots and poor growth . Pepper leaves may yellow and drop off.

Many diseases of pepper plant can be prevented by

Planting disease-resistant varieties.
Rotating vegetable crops every other year
Implementing proper watering and cultivation techniques.
1. Keeping the area free of debris and excess weeds
Control of Insects
1. Insects such as Aphids and Mites are prolific plant disease transmitters

Anthracnose - Caused by a fungus [Colletotrichum acutatumi]. Circular or angular sunken lesions develop on immature fruit of any size.

Often multiple lesions form on individual fruit. When disease is severe, lesions may coalesce. Pink to orange masses of fungal spores form in concentric rings on the surface of the lesions

The fungus can be introduced into a crop on infected seed. During warm and wet periods, spores are splashed from diseased to healthy fruit.

Recommended treatment -

Bonide Remedy Fungicide
Bravo

References

Anthracnose Fruit Rot of Pepper {Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet}

Vegetable Growers News -Pepper Diseases

Phytophthora Blight - caused by the fungus Phytophthora capsici.

Other names applied to this disease of peppers are

Damping off
Phytophthora root rot
Crown rot
Stem and fruit rot.

All of these names can apply since all parts of the pepper plant are affected.

Plants infected at early stages die off rapidly, Plants infected later show an irreversible wilt .

Often a number of plants in a row or in a roughly circular pattern will show these symptoms at the

same time.

References

Phytophthora Blight of Pepper & Other Vegetables - Cornell University

Phytophthora Blight - caused by the fungus Phytophthora capsici on Pepper Plants

Gray leaf spot - circular spots on leaves, the spots are at first brown, later turning to various shades of white with sunken centers, and reddish-brown margins. Spots may appear on stems also .

Gummy stem blight -affects the leaves, stems, and fruits of all cucurbits. Circular, tan to dark brown spots appear on the leaves, often first at the margins, and enlarge rapidly until the entire leaf is affected . Satisfactory chemical control is possible with regular applications of protectant fungicides.

	Blossom end rot. this disorder occurs as a slight discoloration or a severe dark sunken lesion at the blossom end; it is caused by temporary insufficiencies of water and calcium and may occur under high temperature conditions when the peppers are rapidly growing. Recommended treatment Blossom-End Rot Control
Ripe rot occurs on ripening fruit that is kept in warm, humid conditions. Harvest peppers prior to use and store any unused peppers in a cool area away from direct light. Sunscald is not actually a disease, just as the name implies it is the result of too much exposure to direct sunlight. The fruit may become light colored and feel dry and papery.
	Alternaria rot - the presence of black Alternaria rot, especially on the stem end of the pepper is a symptom of chilling. Discoloration of the seed cavity is another symptom. This rot can also be caused by an injury to the fruit / vegetable itself, not the plant. There is no effective treatment for this disease other than prevention via proper gardening techniques.

	Cercospora leaf spot disease is a fungal disease. It is a common problem in home gardens and can reduce crop yield and cause defoliation. It should be treated promptly and preventative measures taken to prevent it from recurring in later seasons. Cercospora leaf spot initially appears as small circular spots on leaves. these spots enlarge as the disease progresses.. They vary in color from dark green to murky brown with purple edges. In advanced stages, the leaves become yellow and fall off . Products such as Immunox and Cleary's 3336 won't cure existing disease, but can prevent its spread to healthy foliage. Bacterial Spot produces circular scabby spots on immature fruits and on leaves. Tomatoes and Sweet peppers are effected. The bacterium is seed-borne and is often carried on diseased transplants. It can also occur in certain weeds . It overwinters in soil and on old plants and pepper plants. Bacterial spot is favored by warm temperatures , high humidity, long dew periods, and driving rain. Recommended treatment - Bonide Remedy Fungicide Pepper speck. this disorder appears as spot-like lesions that penetrate the fruit wall; cause is unknown; some varieties are more susceptible than others

Cultural Practices to Avoid Plant Disease 1. ] Purchase vigorous, healthy plants from a reputable supplier. Pepper Plants, being susceptible to diseases, viruses and insects, some varieties have been bred or hybridized to be resistant to certain pests. Resistance to these pests is usually listed on the plant label using the following abbreviations: V = Verticillium Wilt F = Fusarium Wilt FF = Fusarium Wilt race 1 and 2 N = Nematode T = Tobacco Mosaic Virus A = Alternaria (Early Blight) TSW = Tomato Spotted Wilt Remember that resistance to these problems does not mean they are 100 % immune, good cultural practices are still important. 2.] Crop Rotation in your garden planting area 3.] Remove and destroy all plant refuse in the fall and use deep cultivation to bury any remaining refuse. 4.] Do not place diseased plants in the compost heap, as this will only serve to carry bacterial or fungal infestation into the next growing season. 5.] Avoid over watering . Use surface watering methods. Do not handle plants when the vines are wet. 6.] Weeds compete with vegetables for soil moisture and nutrients and also serve as hosts for insects and disease carrying bacteria and fungus. Control weeds in and around the garden . 7.] Control insect pests such as aphids, which are known to transmit diseases from plant to plant. 8.] Use plastic or organic mulches to reduce disease and blossom-end rot problems. 9.] Choose a sunny location for your tomatoes. Leaf disease problems are much less likely to occur in a sunny location than in a shady one. 10.] Apply recommended fungicides according to label directions at the first sign of leaf spot diseases 11.] Remove abnormal or unhealthy appearing plants as soon as they are observed. To reduce the spread of suspected diseases wash hands and tools with a mild detergent after handling suspect plants. Safer 3 in 1 Garden Spray Potassium salts of fatty acids are derived from plants and act as a contact insecticide to permanently paralyze insects and mites. Sulfur is a naturally occurring element that effects the body functions of insects and mites. Sulfur also affects the ability of a fungus to continue growth, making it an effective fungicide. The blend of these two natural substances provides a simple natural solution to insect, mite and fungus control. Use only on affected area as this is a broad spectrum insect killer. This product is best applied when the air temperature is less than 90 degrees as both active ingredients can burn tender foliage in higher temperatures. Safe for use around plants, animals and people. Do not use in full sun or when temperature is above 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not use with in 4 weeks following application of oil spray. Effective on powdery mildew, black spot, leaf spot and rust. Kills most insects including aphids, beetles, caterpillars, crickets, earwigs, lace bugs, leafhoppers, mites, thrips, and whiteflies.