In the middle of summer, when the pepper crop is forming and ripening, black spots sometimes appear on the fruits. Often this problem arises due to the spread of pathogens, pests or agricultural errors. I will tell you further about the causes of rotting pepper right on the bushes and methods of fighting infections.
What can cause blackening of peppers
There are quite a few reasons for the blackening of peppers on the bush. And this is a clear signal that the culture is affected by fungal or bacterial infections, harmful insects, or you are simply making mistakes while caring for the crop. A description of the vegetable's main diseases and symptoms will help you determine the cause of the problem:
- Alternaria The fungal disease usually develops after prolonged rains and hot weather. Black spots appear first on the lower leaves of plants, then necrosis passes to the skin of the fruit. Gradually, the spots increase, the pepper dries and dies.
- Phytophthora. Fungal pathogens live in the soil, so infection can come from a nearby potato or tomato bush. More often after a sharp drop in temperature, excessive humidity, watering with too cold water. The spots can be from dark brown to black; in the process of development of the infection, the black areas become covered with a whitish bloom with fungal spores.
- Fusarium wilting. At the initial stage, it is difficult to recognize it. Signs become noticeable when the plant can no longer be saved. In the area of the stalk, black cracked spots appear; with high humidity, they become covered with a pink fluffy bloom. This disease is not amenable to treatment, only preventive measures can save the plants.
- Top rot. A viral disease develops as a result of irregular watering, as well as due to a lack of calcium and an excess of nitrogen. The pepper is covered with barely noticeable translucent spots, which later dry, darken to brown-black and sink inward.
- Black rot. Fungal disease develops with high humidity and thickening of the plantings. Usually it affects fruits, less often stems and leaves, the root system always remains unharmed. You can recognize the infection by the gray areas on the skin of the fetus, later they darken. For 3-5 days, the pepper completely dies.
- Low temperature. Pepper is sensitive to sudden changes in temperature and cold. With a cold snap, the root stops absorbing useful components from the soil, then the plant has to take the necessary substances from the fruits and leaves. First, the stems turn black, then the whole plant. It can be saved if the optimal temperature regime is created.
- Pests. Blackness on pepper is caused by spider mites, for which high temperature and humidity are favorable conditions. Dark brown dots merge into large spots, leaves and shoots are intertwined. As a result of the invasion of spider mites, you can lose half of the crop. Therefore, immediately start fighting a dangerous pest with chemical or folk remedies.
Chemical and folk methods of struggle
Most bacterial diseases that cause skin blackening cannot be treated. A diseased plant is dug up and destroyed away from the site. But the development of some diseases can be stopped if the diagnosis is correct:
- In case of Alternaria, one month before harvesting (no later), you can use chemical pesticides: "OxyHom", "Extra", "Famox", "Abiga-Peak", 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture. At a later date, the use of biological products is permissible: Fitosporin, Trichoderma, Alirin-B. Prophylactic spraying with preparations of the strobilurin group is also effective.
- In the fight against late blight, effective fungicides will help: Kuproksat, Previkur Energy. Suitable prophylactic agents are: "Fitosporin-M", calcium nitrate, etc. From folk remedies - a garlic solution (100 g of chopped garlic per 10 liters of water), insist for a day.
- The following chemicals are used for fusarium wilting: "Acrobat MC", "Quadris", "Thanos", "Fundazol". You can also spray the soil and plantings with a solution of potassium permanganate. It should be slightly pink in color so as not to burn the leaves.
- With the symptoms of apical rot (physiological), which develops as a result of non-compliance with the schedule of watering and feeding, it is necessary to correct your mistakes. You need to water it regularly, but not abundantly, feed it with calcium chloride (0.4%) or calcium nitrate at least 4 times per season. If the spots on the pepper are weeping, with an unpleasant odor, it will no longer be possible to save the plants and the crop.
- If signs of black rot appear on the most junior stages, treat the pepper bush with chalk or crushed activated charcoal. Severely affected plants will have to be disposed of. Be sure to treat healthy bushes with one of the fungicides.
- Spider mites can be fought with folk remedies. For example, sprinkle pepper with a solution of laundry soap (½ piece per 5 liters of water) or wipe the shoots and leaves with ordinary alcohol.
Preventive actions
To prevent the development of infection, adhere to the rules of agricultural technology and take preventive measures:
- Be sure to disinfect the planting material with special agents.
- Observe the crop rotation. Avoid planting peppers in the same area year after year. The best predecessors for culture: peas, beets, cabbage, carrots. Bad ones: tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants.
- Elevated air temperature and humidity are favorable conditions for the development of infections, so choose a sunny, open place for planting crops in unprotected soil. Ventilate the greenhouse to reduce humidity and prevent condensation on the walls.
- To avoid excess moisture, do not water with a hose, preferably with a watering can under each bush and always with warm water.
- For the purpose of prophylaxis, in the spring, treat with a 1% solution of copper sulfate and fungicides.
- Loosen the soil near the bushes to allow air to reach the roots.
- Take immediate action at the first sign of infection.
- Carefully remove dead plants and infected parts from the site.
- Add ash or lime to the infected soil.
By following these recommendations, you can easily harvest a good harvest of healthy and beautiful fruits. It is important to constantly inspect the plantings in order to timely identify blackening on the peppers.
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