Diseases of pepper

Pepper is a crop that belongs to the nightshade family. In fact, it can be exposed to the same fungal and viral diseases as its other representatives, just some diseases affect the plant and its fruits to a lesser extent, and some can lead to completely sad consequences, and from the pepper bush have to get rid of it once and for all. Pepper diseases are not uncommon. In this article, you will learn in detail about each of them.

Among the diseases that spread to pepper crops, one can distinguish such as:

- fungal diseases

- bacterial diseases

- viral infections

The main reason for the occurrence of diseases is that the agrotechnical norms for planting the plant are violated, and the gardener did not provide the plant with all the necessary care measures, which is why it can also weaken and undergo various diseases. There is also another important condition - fertilizers, since a lack of fertilizing also affects the immunity and stress resistance of plants, which can lead to the development of various kinds of diseases.

Pepper diseases: seedlings

Seedling is what full-fledged plants grow from in the future, and the further harvest of peppers depends on its condition. It must be protected from various attacks from pests, and also ensure that the seedlings are not infected with any diseases and viruses, fungi and bacteria. Therefore, the gardener should understand what dangers await seedlings at the stage of planting in open ground.

The following diseases of pepper are characteristic of seedlings:

- black leg

- white rot

- gray rot

- top rot

- cladosporium

- late blight

- Fusarium lethargy.

Peppers are also prone to powdery mildew, wilting, bacterial blight, bacterial wilting, mild bacterial rot, tobacco mosaic, and pillar. All these diseases are provoked by fungi and bacteria that are contained in the soil, as well as brought by various pests. Diseases of pepper are usually provoked by the fact that the gardener violates the most important rules for growing plants, and also simply carelessly treats seedlings. He may not attach importance to the broken part or the fact that during processing he damaged the root system. But, in fact, even the smallest damage can lead to the fact that the plant will begin to progressively hurt and, as a result, completely die precisely because of such a careless attitude on the part of the gardener.

If some mechanical damage has been done to the plant, then the gardener can adjust his agrotechnical actions, and the whole process will return to normal. If we are talking about infectious bacteria, fungi and concomitant diseases, then here it will be necessary to spend much more time and effort to get rid of them, and prevent them from getting on other, healthy plants. There is also a possibility that the plant will become infected due to the soil in which these bacteria and fungi take root well and can accumulate in it, and then infect the plants planted there.

Preventive measures are considered the most necessary, because pepper diseases are easier to prevent than to get rid of it when the plant is already affected to some extent. Peppers have several basic options for avoiding disease.We will list them right now, in this part of this article.

First, the first preventive treatment is necessary for the plant in the autumn. But, rather, it will not concern plants or seedlings, but the soil itself. It must be carefully dug up about 25 centimeters deep. Digging is considered an ordinary preventive procedure, since thanks to it, most of the fungal diseases from this depth will be destroyed - the fungus and bacteria will die from severe frosts.

Secondly, it is very important for the gardener to follow all the rules for crop rotation. It is forbidden to plant peppers twice in a row in the same area, since the soil has already been depleted, and it simply will not be enough for the new season of peppers. It is not recommended to plant peppers in the area where other nightshades also grew before. Diseases and bacteria can accumulate in the soil, which in any case will infect pepper seedlings after they are planted in the appropriate area.

Thirdly, we emphasize that the gardener must ensure that the plants are properly watered. Ideally, a drip irrigation system will be installed in the appropriate area. If the soil is waterlogged, then this can further lead to decay of the root system, therefore watering in relation to peppers is a whole art, and it is necessary to treat this issue as carefully as possible. If the weather presupposes precipitation, then artificial watering is best to suspend for the duration of precipitation. Even if the gardener observes such seemingly elementary rules, he will be able to reduce the risk of morbidity by almost 90%, which is an excellent indicator.

Fungal diseases are the most common of other diseases in peppers and other nightshades. Almost 80% of all diseases of peppers are those that were caused precisely by the fungus. This is due, first of all, to the fact that fungal spores can be easily transferred by various insects, as well as simply when the wind blows. Also, the fungus is very tenacious, it can accumulate and be stored in the soil, and when a plant is planted in it, it is easily transferred to its root and stem system, as a result of which the plant dies very quickly.

Blackleg

Blackleg - most often these diseases of pepper affect seedlings that are grown in greenhouse conditions. A wide variety of pathogens provoke blackleg, which spread very quickly in the ground, and can also be stored in the remains of materials from other plants. The disease can also occur due to the fact that the greenhouse is not sufficiently ventilated, or the seedlings are planted too close to each other. Plants simply do not have enough air, a greenhouse effect appears - an excellent atmosphere for the spread of diseases. As a rule, you can find a black stem by noticing that the stem has begun to gradually rot and dry out. At first, the disease is concentrated in the lower part of the plant, and then quickly spreads throughout the trunk. Prevention consists in treating both the plant and the soil with a solution of potassium permanganate before planting, this will not take much time, but it will help to save the plant from such ailment. Waterlogging of the soil must not be allowed. If the plantings are too close to each other, they should be thinned out, leaving the most powerful bushes.

Gray rot

Gray rot is a disease of peppers that appears first in the lower part of the stems. The gardener, upon examination, discovers abundant brown spots, which eventually become covered with a gray bloom. The fungus is stored for a very long time, it is difficult to remove it, unless you use special professional means. Also, the fungus is very easily transferred by insects, in windy weather, or through water. The fungus develops especially at high temperatures and high humidity. It develops very actively and affects bushes.To a greater extent, gray rot can most often be found on bushes that are grown in greenhouse conditions.

To combat gray rot, experienced gardeners offer several basic methods at once:

- it is important to process seedlings in a timely manner, it is also recommended to dive on time. The room in which the seedlings grow should be well ventilated, and the seedlings should not be planted too close to each other, as this can provoke a disease

- as soon as the pepper bushes begin to form, they must be chalked or crushed activated carbon should be used. Gardeners say that this is a really effective remedy for protecting seedlings from bacteria and fungi.

- the affected plants must be detected in time and removed immediately. To do this, the gardener must make a daily inspection of the plants and check them for the occurrence of fungal diseases, putrefaction or stains.

- also in order to protect plants from fungal diseases, garlic-based tincture is excellent.

Pepper disease: cladosporium

Cladosporium is perhaps another common disease that occurs on seedlings of peppers in greenhouse conditions. Cladosporium is spread by spores (which can be understood from the name of this fungal disease). These spores are very actively spread, getting on garden tools (hoes, rakes, shovels), as well as moved by the wind or through insects. The disease manifests itself in the form of pronounced brown spots, which are usually concentrated on the deciduous part. After that, a gray bloom appears, and if the disease is not detected in time, then this simply can then lead to the fact that the plant begins to rot from the stem. The fruits, if they had time to form by that time, also begin to rot very quickly.

As soon as the gardener noticed the very first signs of the disease, he is advised to reduce soil moisture, as well as ventilate the greenhouse daily. The bushes are sprayed with special antifungal drugs, which are purchased in specialized stores for gardeners.

Late blight

Late blight is the most common disease that affects plants of the Solanaceae family. The fruits become covered with brown spots, which then affect the whole plant, its green and root parts. Wet spots also appear on them, while the crop can be immediately eliminated, it is not suitable for human consumption. To prevent phytosporosis, you can use the following methods:

- improve crop rotation, monitor their quality

- bushes should be treated with drugs against such a fungus, which is called late blight

- Affected plants must be destroyed immediately after detection. It is advisable to simply burn them.

The disease also manifests itself not only as a result of a fungal infection, but also as a sign that the plant lacks some micro- and macroelements, and because of this, its immunity is becoming weaker. therefore, preventive feeding should be done more often using fertilizers based on manganese and iodine, potassium and copper, since it is these components that can enhance the plant's immunity, its stress resistance.

Pepper diseases: fusarium

Fusarium - the onset of the disease is that the root system of the peppers is affected, and after that, all synthesis processes also freeze inside the stem. As a result, the plant at one point sheds all the deciduous part, and then dries up. In fact, leaf shedding and drying out are the most basic signs by which the gardener can understand that something is wrong with the plant, and that it needs help to eliminate the root cause of this condition.The disease can develop very actively if there is excessive soil moisture, or there has been a sharp temperature drop, for which the plant is simply not ready. It is best to remove the affected bushes immediately, and after removing the bush, treat the ground with an antimicrobial and antifungal agent. You can also use the same control methods that we listed when identifying phytosporosis.

White rot

White rot is another disease that can be detected by the white bloom on the stems of peppers. Further, already inside the stem, all processes stop, dark-colored compaction appears, from which the fungus begins to manifest itself even more strongly, which destroys the entire plant. As a rule, white rot occurs due to excessive air humidity, as well as due to the fact that there has been a sharp drop in temperatures. As a preventive measure, watering the bushes with warm water at room temperature is suitable; if the bushes grow in a greenhouse, then the room must be ventilated daily, avoiding stagnation of warm air; if the affected plants were found, then it will already be problematic to save them, so the gardener is advised to simply remove them and destroy them so that the fungus from them does not get on to still healthy plants.

Pepper diseases: powdery mildew

Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that is more common in peppers that are grown in greenhouses. As a rule, the gardener finds large spots on the upper leaves and on their upper parts, which after a while become covered with a whitish bloom. As soon as the disease begins to actively develop, the leaves are completely affected by such spots. They begin to deform, dry out, and acquire a completely unhealthy appearance. Eventually, the affected leaves fall off and the disease continues to attack the plant. As measures to combat powdery mildew, gardeners and agronomists highlight the following aspects:

- for growing peppers, it is necessary to create the most favorable conditions - they should be regularly watered and irrigated the upper part of the plant, but not overmoisten the soil

- if the gardener finds diseased parts of the plant, then it is best to remove them, and all the soil and the structure of the greenhouse must be disinfected

- after the disease has been detected, the gardener needs to assess at what stage of development it is present. If this is the initial stage, then the plant can still be saved by treating it with fungicides, both systemic and contact, both of which will be equally effective in this situation.

Verticillary wilting of peppers occurs during the period when the plant is just beginning to bloom. The leaves slow down in development, differ in their small size, on the lower part you can see growing spots. The leaves subsequently acquire a yellow tint, die off, and their massive fall is observed. The disease can develop if the air temperature exceeds 25 degrees, and the soil moisture is as low as possible. As for the measures, the following depends on the gardener:

- after the bushes have left the vegetative period, they must be removed from the site, as well as rid the soil of any plant residues, because various bacteria and fungi can also be stored in the residues

- the rules of crop rotation, which we mentioned earlier in this article, are also extremely important to follow in order to preserve the plant and protect it from wilting

- seedlings should grow only on treated and decontaminated soil

- during the growing season, the soil should be moistened by 75-80%

- for the prevention of wilting, you can use the biofungicide Trichodermin, which is excellent for disinfecting the soil and increasing the immunity of the plant.

Bacterial diseases

There are also some bacterial diseases that are also very common in pepper plants.Such diseases are very insidious, as they may not show any symptoms and signs, and then, one day, the plant simply dies. Symptoms can be similar to those of any other diseases that lead to both local lesions and widespread plant lesions, after which it should be removed from the site and destroyed, and the soil should be disinfected.

Bacterial diseases spread through insects, and also penetrate even the smallest holes, such as cracks in the stem. They can lead to decay of various parts of the plant, necrosis and burns, even to tumors. All this can be determined by visual inspection of the plant, but even then it will be clear that it is painful, and any measures should be taken to resolve this problem.

Black bacterial spot

A bacterial disease that manifests itself in the form of overgrowing spots that darken over time. As a result, the bush simply dies, as the disease "eats" it from the inside. As for effective measures, it is best to start with the treatment of the seed: the seeds are soaked in a manganese solution, due to which they are disinfected. The soil should also be disinfected by any available methods; periodically, seedlings can be treated with effective Bordeaux liquid. If the plant is already infected, then it should be removed from the site and disposed of so that bacteria from it do not spread to healthy plants.

Lightning-fast bacterial wilting

Bacteria penetrate the vascular system of the plant, as a result of which it cannot feed and develop normally, which leads to death. To combat wilting, it is necessary to remove the infected plants immediately after detection, since the bacteria are very aggressive; the seeds are treated in a garlic-based solution before planting, then dried and planted in seedling pots; feeding should be done in accordance with the schedule, observe the rule that peppers cannot be planted in the same territories for two years in a row, since this violates the rules of crop rotation and agricultural technology.

Soft bacterial rot can very quickly affect the vascular system of the bush, which is why it dies after a short time. The signs of this disease are that the stem is hollow, and the leaves lose their color. To fight the disease, it is necessary to disinfect not only the seeds, but also the soil before planting, this is a very important rule; regularly ventilate the greenhouse, make sure that moisture does not stagnate after watering; all affected bushes are immediately removed from the site and burned.

Bacterial cancer of pepper develops in conditions of high humidity, and not only insects, but also the person himself, who processed healthy bushes with infected tools, can be carriers. Abundant brown spots appear on the peppers, gradually they merge into one spot, the plant becomes covered with a crust. Bushes that have managed to become infected should be treated with a solution of copper sulfate, as well as other drugs that have a high level of copper content. If the plant is deeply affected, then you should not try to reanimate it, but rather remove it immediately.

Viral diseases

Viral diseases include tobacco mosaic, stolbur. Viruses spread through insects, therefore, first of all, you should focus on the fight against aphids, thrips and nematodes, and only thanks to these preventive measures can the spread of viruses among peppers be prevented. Seeds must be carefully processed before planting; when picking or transplanting into open ground, you cannot harm the plant and its root system. Also, periodically, plants are treated with special preparations to combat insect carriers of infection and viruses.Only thanks to such preventive measures is it possible to prevent diseases, since with viruses the plant cannot be preserved, it must be immediately destroyed.