| AFFECTING WHOLE PLANT: |
|
CONDITION |
CAUSE |
 |
Young
plants topple over; weak stem at soil line |
Damping off
|
|
Yellow
leaves, gradual wilting |
Verticillium wilt (Verticillium
spp.)
|
|
Yellowing
and drooping of shoots and leaves at base of plant first. Cross section
of infected stem has reddish-brown vascular system. Occurs when
temperature is 80-90° F. |
Fusarium wilt (Fusarium
oxysporum)
|
|
| AFFECTING LEAVES: |
|
CONDITION |
CAUSE |
|
Small,
yellow-green spots, turning brown with lighter centers; near leaf
margins first |
Bacterial spot (Xanthomonas
campestris)
|
|
Mottled,
yellow, curled, thick and leathery leaves |
Mosaic virus
|
|
Yellow
leaves wilt and curl; shiny and sticky leaves |
Aphids
|
|
Small
holes chewed in leaves |
Flea beetles (Phyllotreta
spp.)
|
|
Circular, dark spots on leaves |
Alternaria Leaf Blight
|
|
New
growth small, discolored, or deformed |
Curly Top
|
|
| AFFECTING FRUIT: |
|
CONDITION |
CAUSE |
|
Plants
have blossoms, but no peppers |
Extreme heat or cold
|
|
Fruit
blossoms drop prematurely; fruit is misshapen and discolored |
Low temperature
during blossoming and/or uneven growing conditions
|
|
White or
tan-colored, sunken, spots near tips of fruit; most often on earliest
fruit during dry periods; up to 1/3 of the fruit may become dark and
shriveled |
Blossom end rot
|
|
Sunken,
white papery-looking areas on side of fruit exposed to the sun |
Sunscald
|
|
Small,
dark brown, wartlike spots on fruit; most prevalent during damp weather |
Bacterial spot (Xanthomonas
campestris)
|
|
Large,
yellow to dark brown spots on ripe peppers, followed by rotting; spots
have black-specked centers |
Anthracnose
|
|
Feeding
at seed core with hole near stem end of pepper; sawdusty excrement is
usually visible at stem end; peppers often rot and color early |
European corn borer
(Ostrinia nubilalis)
|
