DISORDERS,DISEASES

&PESTS IN CAPSICUM
DISORDERS IN
CAPSICUM
 Abiotic disorders are the source of stress
factors which occur in absence of biological
organisms.These include:
 FLOWER & BUD DROP
 Flower buds,flowers & immature pod drop is
caused by:Heat stress,insufficient water &
excessive or deficient nutrient levels.
 Best protection is to avoid over fertilizing &
under watering.
 OEDEMA
 Appears as numerous small bumps on lower
side of leaves & some times on the petioles.
 The cause may be over watering or due to
high humidity.
 The control measures include reduced
watering & better air circulation around the
plant.
BLOSSOM END ROT
 It occurs due to high nitrogen fertilization,fluctuating
soil moisture,lack of soil moisture & lack of calcium.
 Disorder first appears as water soaked area on fruit.
 The spots elongate & become brown to black,dry &
leathery.Pods effected usually ripe prematurely.
 Preventive measures include uniform supply of soil
moisture & avoid large amounts of nitrogen
fertiliger.Irrigate when necessary at rapid pod
development.
Fruits effected by blossom end rot
SALT PROBLEMS
 High salt in the soil will “pinch off” young
seedlings at the soil line.
 A young seedling die when light rains move
the salt to young,tender roots.
 It appears in the form of large necrotic areas
often with a water soaked border.
 Controll salt problem by irrigating heavily
prior to planting so that salt is moved below
root areas.
HERBICIDE INJURY
 A hormone type herbicide such as 2,4-D can
cause distorted leaves
 Other herbicides may cause
chlorosis,necrosis or lesions.
 Control spray drift of herbicide application.
Foliage effected
Fruit effected
AIR POLLUTION
 Pepper is susceptible to peroxyacetyl
nitrate(PAN).Usually affects the underside of
newly matured leaves.Leaves become
bronzed,glased or silvery.
 Pepper also highly sensitive to sulphur
dioxide & hydrogen sulphide & characterized
by dead tissue between veins & on leaf
margins.Brownish red or bleached areas in
chronic conditions.
SUNSCALD
 It is caused by too much sunlight on fruit that has
been growing in shaded canopy.
 Matured green fruits are more sensitive than
matured red fruits.
 Smaller podded are less susceptible than large
podded varieties.
 Symptoms are seen as necrotic or whitish area on
the fruit.Often fungi such as Aternaria spp. Grow on
affected areas of pods.
 The best control is to avoid stress to the plants.
Fruit effected by sunscald
STIP(Black spot)
 This disorder manifests itseif when peppers are
grown under coolrer temperature conditions.
 It is associated with suspected calcium imbalance &
short day length.
 Stip can occur in interior tissue of fruit as well as on
extenal surface.Appears as grey-brown to greenish
spots on fruit.
 Most noticeable on red fruits that mature in autumn.
DISEASES OF
CAPSICUM
BACTERIAL DISEASES
BACTERIAL LEAF SPOT
(Xanthomonas campestris pv.vesicatori).

 Bacterial spot is a common, serious foliar disease

for pepper . The symptoms include water-soaked
spots on the bottom of the pepper plant's leaves.
 In two or three days the spots become brown and
greasy, then soak through the upper part of the
leaves. Sometimes the margins of the leaves
become scorched and drop prematurely.
 On the fruit itself, the disease first appears as small
lighter-green pimples, which turn brown or black and
become scabs. The fruit may totally decay.
 Control of Bacterial Leaf Spot
 The best method of control is to prevent the disease by planting
only seeds that are not already infected with the disease.
 In cases where symptoms have occurred, copper hydroxide and
copper sulfate treatments have been effective. These copper
compounds are available at local garden centers and should be
applied according to the manufacturer's instructions.
 Contaminated seeds should be soaked for 40 minutes in a 20
percent bleach solution to kill the bacteria prior to plant
Fruit & leaf effected by bacterial spot
BACTERIAL CANKER:
Corynebacterium michiganense.
 Affected fruit exhibited white, raised “bird’s-
eye” spots that were similar to symptoms on
tomato fruit with bacterial canker.
 There were no conspicuous symptoms on the
foliage of plants with symptomatic fruit.
 Control:
Sow only tested seed and certified transplants. Do
not transplant peppers into ground used for tomatoes
during the previous season.
 Clean cultivation equipment before entering a new
field, avoid entering fields when foliage is wet and
incorporate plant debris immediately after harvest to
help reduce losses.
 Never harvest fruit from symptomatic plants. Rogue
all symptomatic and adjacent plants. Rotate to a non-
host for a minimum of three years if the disease is
found in a field.
 Tools, and human contact may also aid spread
Symptoms of bacterial canker
BACTERIAL SOFT ROT:
Erwinia carotovora pv.carotovora
 Soft rot often begins in the peduncle and calyx
tissues of harvested fruit. Infection can occur
through wounds anywhere on the fruit.
 Fruit infected on the plant collapses and hangs on
the plant like a water-filled bag. When the contents
leak out, a dry shell of the fruit remains.
The bacteria are soil-borne. Soft rot is primarily a
post-harvest problem although it can occur in the
field being facilitated by injuries to the fruit by
insects and water splash.
 The disease is serious during rainy periods because the
bacteria are splashed from the soil onto the fruit, which are
more susceptible due to their high moisture content
Rotation with beans or maize
 Control of insects that cause injury to fruits.
 Post-harvest decay can be reduced by harvesting fruits
when dry, minimizing injury during handling, and store at
cool temperatures.
 ]If fruits must be washed, add free chlorine in the wash
water to eliminate soft-rot bacteria. However, this treatment
prevents infection during washing but does not prevent soft
rot development
BACTERIAL WILT:
Pseudomonas solanacearum
 The disease occurs in scattered plants or groups of plants in the
field. Characteristic symptom is wilting of the entire plant with no
leaf yellowing. Cross sections cut from roots and lower stems of
diseased plants exude milky streams of bacteria from the
vascular system when suspended in water.
 The bacteria have a wide host range and can survive in the soil
for long periods.
The disease is favoured by wet, warm conditions. Peppers are
not as susceptible as eggplants, potatoes, tobacco or tomatoes.
Rotation is not effective as the pathogen can survive for a long
period - several years - in the soil and also attack a wide range of
crops and solanaceous weeds
Control
 Plant varieties that are tolerant / resistant, if available
 Do not grow crops in soil where bacterial wilt has occurred
 Remove wilted plants from the field to reduce spread of the
disease from plant to plant
 Control root-knot nematodes since they could facilitate infection
and spread of bacterial wilt
 Soil amendments (organic manures) can suppress bacterial wilt
pathogen in the soil
 Rotation is of limited value since the disease has a wide host
range, but still it is recommended to avoid continuous planting of
solanaceous crops
Plant effected with bacterial wilt
FUNGAL DISEASES
ANTHRACNOSE:Colletotrichum spp.
 Even small anthracnose lesions on fruits reduce their marketable
value . Many post-harvest diseases of fruit exhibit the
phenomenon of quiescence in which symptoms do not develop
until the fruit ripens.
 Colletotrichum species are the most important pathogens that
cause Typical fruit symptoms are circular or angular sunken
lesions, with concentric rings of acervuli that are often wet and
produce pink to orange conidial masses Under severe disease
pressure, lesions may coalesce. Conidial masses may also occur
scatteredly or in concentric rings on the lesions.
 Many studies have concluded that disease management practices
are often inadequate to eliminate the diseases infection.
 The fungicide traditionally recommended for anthracnose management
in chilli is Manganese ethylenebisdithiocarbamate although it does not
consistently control the severe form of anthracnose on pepper fruit.
 The strobilurin fungicides azoxystrobin , trifloxystrobin and
pyraclostrobin (Cabrio) have recently been labeled for the control of
anthracnose of pepper, but only preliminary reports are available on
the efficacy of these fungicides against the severe form of the
disease .
 The disease can be controlled under normal weather conditions with a
reasonable spray program
 Use certified disease-free seeds

 Practice field sanitation (removal of crop debris after harvest

Phytophthora Blight
 Phytophthora blight is a fungal disease that infects peppers' root
and shoot tissue.
 The first symptom, according to the University of Florida
Extension, is a general wilting of the plants, along with dark-
green, water-soaked lesions along the stems.
 After invading the plant tissue, the fungus moves into the fruit,
causing them to become mushy and rot. High humidity and heavy
rains are ideal conditions for phytophthora blght to invade your
plants. You can control phytophthora blight by planting only in
well-drained soil, fumigating your soil, using a fungicide and/or
using plastic mulch
CERCOSPORA LEAF
SPOT:Cercospora capici
 Cercospora leaf spot is a fungal disease that also is called
frogeye leaf spot. Symptoms include circular to oval leaf spots
with tan centers and dark red borders, leaf yellowing and
defoliation.
 It is most likely to affect your peppers during warm, humid
summers and in gardens with poor air circulation or drainage.
 To avoid cercospora leaf spot, destroy all infected plants (do not
compost any parts), rotate your crops each year, ensure good
drainage and circulation, and use resistant cultivars
 Plant resistant cultivars, if available
 Use certified disease-free seeds
 Practice good field sanitation
Cercospora spot
DAMPING OFF/SEEDLING DISEASE:
Pythium aphanidermatum,Rhizoctonia,Fusarium.
 Seedlings fail to emerge (pre-emergence damping-off); small
seedlings collapse (post-emergence damping-off); seedlings are
stunted through root rot and / or collar rot.
 Nursery beds show irregular patches. The fungi causing seedling
diseases are soil inhabitants. Pythium spp. are favoured by low
temperatures while R. solani and Fusarium spp. thrive at higher
temperatures
 Growing certified disease-free seed
 Nursery beds be located on well drained sites not previously
under vegetable production
 Proper watering regime
Damping off in nursery
FUSARIUM WILT:
Fusarium Oxysporium
 Disease symptoms include drooping and yellowing
of lower leaves followed by wilting of the entire
plant.
 Leaves on infected plants remain attached and the
vascular system of the plant is discoloured,
particularly in the lower stem and roots. The fungus
lives indefinitely in the soil and is spread in irrigation
water. It is very susceptible to changes in
temperature and soil moisture.
 The optimum temperature for disease development
is 24 to 27° C.
Soil moisture has the greatest influence.
 The wilt does not occur in dry soil, but it is serious in poorly
drained fields.
Plant resistant cultivars, if available
 Lime the soil
 Ensure the soil has a good drainage
 Apply soil antagonist Trichoderma spp.
POWDERY MILDEW:
Leveillula taurica-Oidiopsis taurica
 Yellowish blotches or spots appear on the upper leaf surface.
The leaf surface is covered with a white to grey powdery fungal
growth. The disease progresses from the older to younger leaves
and shedding of the foliage is pronounced.
 Leaf defoliation leads to reduction in size and number of fruits. It
also results in fruits being sun-burned. The disease is favoured
by warm, humid and dry weather.
 The fungus causing powdery mildew also attacks eggplants and
tomatoes. Overhead irrigation reduces disease severity.
Plant resistant cultivars, if available
 Apply sulphur based fungicides at the onset of disease
symptoms
 Remove and destroy crop debris after harvest
Powdery mildew on leaves & fruit
 Phytophthora Root Rot
 Phytophthora root rot is a fungal disease that is common among peppers that have
been exposed to overly wet soils in low-lying areas.
 The spores that cause the spread of this disease are capable of residing in soils that
have become overly moist. They infect the pepper plant, causing the plant's root
system to become rotted.
 The damaged roots are then not capable of absorbing the necessary nutrients from
the soil to make the plant thrive.
 Controlling Phytophthora Root Rot
 Prevention is the best method of control for this disease. Peppers should be planted
in well-drained soils that are not over-watered. Every three years, crops should be
rotated and replaced with resistant plants so the disease is not able to infect the
soil. In cases where the disease is already present, fungicides are available at local
garden centers. Apply fungicides according to the manufacturer's instructions
VERTICILLIUM WILT:
Verticillium dahliae

 Verticillium wilt is a fungal disease most commonly

seen late in the season on fully grown plants.
 It is a soil-borne fungus that enters the pepper's
vascular system, reducing water flow through the
plant, according to the University of Arizona.
Symptoms include wilting of the entire plant, stunted
growth, and brown streaks or flecks in cut stems.
 As of 2010, there are no resistant cultivars or
controls available for verticillium wilt. It's possible to
avoid spreading the disease by rotating your crop
VIRAL DISEASES
 About 17 viruses have been reported to attack peppers.
 Those considered economically important in Africa include alfalfa mosaic, chilli
veinal mottle, cucumber mosaic, pepper veinal mottle, potato Y, tobacco etch,
tobacco mosaic, tomato spotted wilt and chilli leaf curl.
Most of these viruses are transmitted by insects, infected seed and a few by
mechanical means and infected seed:
 the first six above listed viruses are spread by aphids; tobacco mosaic is
mechanically transmitted and infected seed; tomato spotted wilt by thrips; and chilli
leaf curl by whiteflies.
Viral diseases are particularly difficult to firmly diagnose by symptoms because
there is so much overlap in symptomatology. Furthermore, symptom expression
can be altered by many factors among which are cultivar, age of host plant,
environmental conditions, host plant nutrition, and viral strains, not to mention the
occurrence of virus mixtures.
 General symptoms include mosaic patterns on leaves, yellowing , ring spots, leaf
deformation or distortion, curling of leaves, and/or stunting of plants. They may also
cause reduction of fruit size, distortion, and/or ring patterns
Control
 Plant resistant cultivars, if available
 Select planting dates to avoid high population of vectors
 Close plant spacing to compensate for diseased plants
 Use barrier crops to minimize virus spread
 Use oil sprays to reduce virus transmission by aphids
 Use reflective mulches to repel aphids and thrips.
 Use certified disease-free seed in case of tobacco mosaic virus
Plant effected with virus
INSECT PESTS
Aphids (Aphis gossypii, Myzus persicae)
 Aphids (cotton aphid and green peach aphid) occur in colonies initially
around tender plants parts (growing points, young stems and leaves,
flower buds) and on the lower leaf surface.
 When numerous they can be found on all above ground parts of the
plant.
 Aphids damage plants in three ways: by sucking their sap, excreting a
sticky substance (honeydew) that coats the plants, or/and by transmitting
viral diseases.
Feeding by aphids causes distortion (curling, wrinkling, or cupping) of
young leaves, chlorotic spotting and mottling of older leaves, and may
lead to stunting and wilting of plants.
 Growth of sooty mould on honeydew excreted by aphids reduces
photosynthesis and affects fruit quality.
 Aphids cause indirect damage as vectors of important viruses such as
alfalfa mosaic, chilli veinal mottle, cucumber mosaic, pepper mottle,
pepper severe mosaic, pepper veinal mottle, potato Y and tobacco etch
virus.
Monitor regularly the crop.
 Aphids are naturally controlled by parasitic wasps; predators such as
ladybird beetles, rove beetles, hoverflies, cecidomyiid flies, anthocorid
bugs, spiders and lacewings; and by fungal diseases.
The parasitic wasps Aphidius spp are common in Kenya, and help to
maintain aphids under control provided compatible pesticides are used
for control of aphids or other pests.
 Whenever necessary spray only affected plants (spot spraying).Use
biopesticides that are not harmful to natural enemies (for instance neem,
ashes, soapy water).
 Use biopesticides that are not harmful to natural enemies (for instance
neem, ashes, soapy water). Neem products have a repellent effect and
have been effective in reducing numbers of aphids on peppers. at 10
days intervals
Cutworms (Agrotis spp,
Spodoptera spp.)
 Cutworms are the caterpillars of various moths, belonging mostly
to the genus Agrotis.
 Young caterpillars feed on leaves making small holes. After few
days they drop to the soil where they live until pupation.
 Caterpillars remain in the soil during the daytime coming out at
night to feed. They cut stems of young seedlings at the level of
the soil, killing them and affecting establishment of the crop.
Some Spodoptera species, in particular S. littoralis act
sometimes as cutworms.
Caterpillars, in particular under hot conditions, hide during the
day in the soil around the base of the plants, and may cut them,
especially seedlings, at the base of the stem. At night they climb
into plants to feed.
 Eliminate weeds early, well before transplanting
 Plough and harrow the field to expose cutworms to
natural enemies and desiccation
 Dig near damaged seedlings and destroy cutworms
 Conserve natural enemies. Parasitic wasps and
ants are important in natural control of cutworms

spodoptera
Fruit flies
(Ceratitis spp. Bactrocera spp., Dacus spp.)
 Fruit fly females lay eggs under the epidermis of the fruit. After
emerging from eggs maggots generally move to the core to feed,
but they may also feed on the walls of the fruit. This causes
secondary rot and premature fruit fall.
 An infested fruit usually has a small dimple where the female fly
deposited an egg. As the maggot matures inside the fruit, the fruits
turn red prematurely, becoming soft and rotten.
Soft spots can often be seen where the maggot has fed on the fruit.
When infested fruit is picked, the cap usually separates from the
fruit because the maggot has eaten the core. Fruit may drop from
the plant. Maggots remain in peppers until fully grown (from 2 to 3
weeks). At this time the maggot leaves the pepper, drops to the soil
to pupate. One maggot can destroy an entire fruit.
 Plough and harrow before planting. This exposes
pupae in the soil to natural enemies and desiccation
 Monitor fruit flies to determine when they arrive in
the crop. Check the crop regularly and use bait traps
 Collect and destroy damaged fruit
Fruit fly
Fruit fly inside the fruit
Fruit borers
(Helicoverpa spp., Spodoptera spp.)
 Moths of fruitborers are active at dusk and at night, feeding on
nectar and laying eggs on leaves. Caterpillars feed on leaves,
flowers and fruits. Although severe leaf damage by feeding of
African bollworm (Helicoverpa spp.) caterpillars may slow plant
growth due to reduced leaf area, caterpillar feeding on leaves is
usually of not economic importance. The bollworms are about 2-
3.5cm long.
The main damage occurs on flowers and fruits. Attack on flower
buds results in flower abortion. Caterpillars usually bore holes in
fruits, causing extensive damage and promoting decay from
secondary infection by diseases.
African armyworm (Spodoptera spp.) species are basically leaf-
eaters and may cause defoliation when present in large numbers.
They also feed on fruits, rendering them unmarketable
 Plough the soil before planting. This exposes pupae to natural enemies
and desiccation.
 Check the crop regularly. Early detection and destruction of eggs, or
young caterpillars before they bore into the fruits is very important.
 Handpick and destroy damaged fruits, eggs and caterpillars. This helps
when their numbers are low and in small fields.
 Conserve natural enemies. Parasitic wasps, ants, pirate bugs are very
important for natural control of the African bollworm.
 Whenever necessary use biopesticides such as Bt, neem products or
other plant extracts. This is particularly important from the onset of
flowering. Target caterpillars before they enter the fruit. For more
information on neem click here. For information on Bt click here
Damage caused by fruit borer
Leafmining flies (Leafminers) Liriomyza spp
 Female flies make numerous small, whitish punctures on the
foliage when feeding and depositing eggs.
 These punctures can serve as entry points for disease-causing
organisms such as bacteria and fungi.
 The eggs hatch into tiny yellow maggots that feed on leaf tissues
leaving a wandering track known as mines.
 Full-grown maggots come out of the mines to pupate in the soil
beneath the plants or on the foliage.
 Maggots are the most destructive stage.
The mines may reduce photosynthetic activity, affecting
development of flowers and fruits. In severe infestation, the leaves
might be completely mined, dry and fall off prematurely, causing loss
of vigour and turgidity of the plant.
This may eventually result in wilting, in particular in warm weather,
leading to yield loss, fruit sunscald, or in serious cases death of the
plant, especially of young pants
 Control by natural enemies is important.
 Ploughing can help in exposing pupae to
desiccation and natural enemies.
 Neem products are effective for controlling
leafminers. For more information on
Thrips' (Frankliniella spp., Scirtothrips dorsalis, Thrips tabaci)

 Thrips usually feed on all above ground parts of plants, preferring

the underside of young leaves, flowers and fruits. Often they are
concealed under the calyx.
 Plant damage results from thrips puncturing leaves and sucking
the exuding sap. At the initial stage of infestation leaves have a
silvery sheen and show small, dark spots of faecal material on
the underside.
 When the attack increase leaves curl upward, wrinkle and finally
dry up. This may cause fruit sunscald.
 Heavy feeding damage turns leaves, buds and fruits bronze in
colour.
 It may cause wilting, retardation of leaf development and
distortion of young shoots resulting in stunted plants. Attack on
fruits causes deformation and scarring (manifested as brown
lines) of the fruits making them unmarketable, especially fruits for
the export market. Thrips attack at the seedling and early stages
of the crop delays crop development.
 Thrips transmit the tomato spotted wilt virus in peppers. S.
dorsalis transmit the leaf curl disease of chillies
control
 Natural enemies of thrips are important for
natural control. Main natural enemies include
anthocorid bugs (Orius spp.) predatory mites
and spiders
Damage caused by thrips
Whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci, Trialeurodes vaporariorum

 Whiteflies damage plants in three ways. Whitefly immature

stages (nymphs) and adults suck sap from leaves.
 Their feeding, in addition to removing plant nutrients, produces
chlorotic spots on infested leaves.
 Nymphs excrete a clear sugary liquid known as honeydew,
which often completely covers the leaves during heavy
infestation. Honeydew supports the growth of a black sooty
mould, and as a result the leaves may turn black, affecting
photosynthesis.
Whiteflies are vector of important viral diseases such as chilli leaf
curl, tiger disease, Serrano golden mosaic, and Texas pepper
geminivirus.
control
 In areas where whitefly-transmitted viral diseases are a problem keep
the seedlings protected under a fine meshed insect netting until they are
ready for transplanting. Make sure the netting is always properly closed
 Conserve natural enemies. Parasitic wasps, predatory mites, ladybird
beetles, and lacewings are important natural enemies of whiteflies
 Whenever necessary spray with neem products. Neem products inhibit
growth and development of immature stages, repel whitefly adults and
reduce egg laying
White fly on leaves
White fly damage
Broad mite or yellow tea mite (Polyphagotarsonemus latus
 Broad mites are tiny (0.1-0.2 mm long) and cannot be seen with
the naked eye, and are even difficult to detect with a hand lens.
 An attack the broad mites can be detected by the symptoms of
damage.
 They live on the underside of leaves, tender stems, fruits, flower
peduncles and flowers.
 Their feeding produces discoloration, necrosis of tissues and
deformation. Initial attack occurs on the stems of terminal shoots
and the lower surface of young leaves.
 Young leaves turn narrow, twisted or crumpled, fail to elongate
and finally may wilt and dry, giving the plant a scorched
appearance.
 Older leaves are generally cupped with corky brown areas
between the main veins on the lower side of the leaves.
 The succulent part of the stem of young plants may become
slightly swollen, roughened or russeted. The foliage becomes
rigid.
 Attacked fruits become deformed with a cork-like surface or fail
to develop. Severely infected fruits fall, and yield is significantly
reduced. Symptoms remain for a long period of time after control
control
 Broad mites are attacked by predacious
mites. Phytoseiulus persimilisis not very
much attracted to broad mites. Amblyseius
spp are better predators of broad mites, in
particular A. californicus is used for control of
broad mites in different parts of the world.
 Broad mites can be effectively controlled with
sulphur sprays. However, sulphur is toxic to
predatory mites
NEMATODE DISEASE
 Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.)
 Symptoms of infestation by root-knot nematodes are similar in all
crops: wilting of plants and if infested plants are pulled from the
soil the roots can be seen to be distorted, swollen and bearing
knots (galls).
 The galls on pepper are much smaller than those on cucurbits or
tomatoes. The infested roots eventually rot and affected plants
die.
Control
 Use of resistant varieties
 Crop rotation
 Mixed cropping / growing African marigold (Tagetes
spp.)
 Maintaining high levels of organic matter in the soil
(manure or compost).
 Presently, some bioproducts are available for
control of the root-knot nematodes (e.g. neem
extracts).
Roots effected by nematodes