Category Archives: Pests & Problems

Fungal Foot Rot

Physical Description Fungal foot rot causes the plant to wilt; if the roots are wet & brown, then it’s probably root rot (VGPS) Species & Taxonomy Kingdom: Chromalveolata Phylum: Heterokontophyta Class: Oomycetes Order: Peronosporales Family: Pythiaceae Genus Species: Phytophthora Plants Affected   Plants Unaffected   Geographical Range   Signs & Symptoms Whole Plant generalized wilting Leaves Flowers Fruit Roots wet & […]

Early Blight

Also known as Alternaria Blight. Physical Description Early blight begins as light-colored spots on leaves, eventually leading to the leaves dying and falling off. Google Images Species & Taxonomy Kingdom: Phylum: Class: Order: Family: Genus Species: Alternaria solani Lifecycle   Plants Affected tomatoes potatoes peppers (not a serious problem in peppers, but if it appears, […]

Cercospora Leaf Spot

Leaf spot caused by a fungal disease that infects many vegetable crops.  Physical Description Spots tend to have dark edges, as symptoms progress, centers may drop out of the spots leaving a shothole effect. Species & Taxonomy Kingdom: Phylum: Class: Order: Family: Genus Species: Lifecycle   Plants Affected   Plants Unaffected   Geographical Range   […]

Blossom End Rot

Blossom end rot in San Marzano paste tomatoes

Google Images of Blossom End Rot Physical Description Brown or tan spots on the blossom end of tomatoes or on the underside of peppers. Blossom end rot results from calcium availability problems when the fruit is forming. Calcium availability is affected by irrigation levels (both too much water, and too little water), as well as […]

Bacterial Wilt (Cucurbits)

Quick Intro Physical Description   Species & Taxonomy Kingdom: Phylum: Class: Order: Family: Genus Species: Erwinia tracheiphila (only in cucurbits) Lifecycle   Plants Affected Cucumbers Squash Zucchini Melons (not watermelons, though) Plants Unaffected   Geographical Range   Signs & Symptoms Whole Plant Leaves Flowers   Fruit Roots/Tubers How to Positively Identify   Treatment Prevention & Control […]

Bacterial Wilt (Nightshades)

Sudden wilting is caused by various reasons, Bacterial Wilt being one of them. Bacterial wilt is caused by different pathogens, depending on whether you are dealing with nightshades (pepper, tomato, potato, eggplant, tomatillos) or cucurbits (cucumber, melons, squash). In tobacco, it is known as Granville Wilt. Since there are various reasons for a plant to […]

Bacterial Leaf Spot

Google Images Physical Description In peppers, raised brown spots that look like warts, sometimes appearing water-soaked In brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, etc), infections start as small, dark specks on leaves. As the disease develops, numerous water-soaked leafspots appear. Leafspots remain small (0.125 inch in diameter). Older leafspots turn tan and may or may not have […]

Anthracnose

Google Images: Anthracnose in Peppers Scholarly Articles on Anthracnose Physical Description Fungal disease that causes problems in many fruits and vegetables, as well as ornamental plants Species & Taxonomy Kingdom: Phylum: Class: Order: Family: Genus Species: Lifecycle   Plants Affected  Peppers Plants Unaffected   Geographical Range   Signs & Symptoms Whole Plant Leaves Flowers   […]

Root-Knot Nematode

Severe root-knot nematode infection of cucumber

Ambiguous symptoms like wilting and failure to thrive are the most common symptoms of a root-knot nematode infestation. The only way to determine if this is the problem is to inspect the roots for galls or nodes. A number of other nematode species also can damage home garden and landscape plants including the ring nematode […]