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leafericson

Please Help! Gold is eating pepper leaves!

leafericson
10 years ago

Hey everyone, I really need some help with this one. Not quite sure what is it but it appears to be a goldish fungus or bacteria that is eat in the underside of my pepper leaves and its spreading to all the plants.
Please, Please help me identify this.
Eric.

Comments (22)

  • leafericson
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Close up

  • seysonn
    10 years ago

    Sorry, Eric. I hope somebody chimes in with diagnosis.

    I know probably this is wrong but it looks like etching by some chemical burn. Whatever it is, killing the cells.
    Do you have a count extension center near by to consult with . Or maybe just call them up and describe the problem..

  • jean001a
    10 years ago

    Not disease. Not eaten. Environmental stress from possible low water/moisture, excessive light, heat stress, etc.

    Where are the plants growing? Indoors or out?
    If outdoors, did you harden them off?
    Please post a picture of an entire plant.

  • woohooman San Diego CA zone 10a
    10 years ago

    I was thinking the same thing Jean. Sunburn or light burn. Odd that it's on the undersides though. Splash from ferts maybe?

    Kevin

  • leafericson
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    No chemical burn, never put anything on leave until I had this problem. Just treated them last night with copper sulfate to help combat this.
    As far as it goes with environmental, it has affected both the plants indoors and in the greenhouse so I would say it unlikely.
    If no one here can figure it out, I would like to send it out to be tested but I do not know where to send...
    Eric.

  • woohooman San Diego CA zone 10a
    10 years ago

    Your county Ag extension may do it or can point you in the right direction.

    Jean001 knows her stuff, but try posting in the Garden Clinic and the vegetable forums. You might get more feedback.

    Kevin

  • flipback23
    10 years ago

    Eric,
    I have the same thing happening to a bunch of my peppers as well. Mine are concentrated to lower leaves, but it has not seemed to affect the plants growth or anything. I to have it happening to both inside and outside peppers. I havent added any ferts. But they still seem to be growing and have new growth coming out. Hope you can get an answer as to whats causing it.
    Rey

  • flipback23
    10 years ago

    Eric/All,
    Heres a link to a pretty thorough pepper disease guide with color pictures may help with some other issues and diagnosis. But unfortunately it doesnt not show any pictures resembling what yours and my pepper leaves are having.
    Rey....

    Here is a link that might be useful: Pepper disease guide

  • leafericson
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Rey, are you dealing with this now? Did it, is it spreading?

  • flipback23
    10 years ago

    Eric,
    Ya right now they have it. It doesn't seem to be spreading to other plants just isolated to a few plants and they are all in close quarters. And mine are on lower leaves, I have not seen it on the new growth yet crossing fingers nor has it spread to others currently. I may isolate them tonight though just to be safe. Ill take some pics of mine tonight for comparison when I get home from work. I could not find any pics so far on line either to help in diagnosing.
    Rey...

  • jutsFL
    10 years ago

    Eric - I have the exact issue with some of my peppers, I'll add photos below. The areas seem to be a bit softer than the surrounding parts of the leaves as well. I chalked it up to some sort of chem burn. Good news is that it will not spread, and it doesn't seem to have any effect on the plant as a whole, just the leaves involved...

    Jay

  • jutsFL
    10 years ago

    And here is that same plant...showing no signs of spread, and doin fine!

    ...if yours is the same thing, I think you're in the clear

    Jay

  • jean001a
    10 years ago

    Well, folks, it's environmental stress. (Same goes for plants in images other folks posted.)

    The stress could even be low temps which briefly slowed root function -- as in cold roots but warm tops.

    The damage is seen on the lower surface because, whatever happened, it killed sufficient cells to go all the way through the leaf rather than only on the top surface.

    Same can occur to same kinds of plants whether indoors or out.

    Not a disease, so stop spraying.

  • flipback23
    10 years ago

    Eric
    Heres mine.6 plants out of 50 have it plus 2 tomatoes.3 indoor and 3 outdoor peppers have it.
    Rey

  • seysonn
    10 years ago

    I think you nailed it, Ray.
    The center picture on the left is just like what Eric got.

  • leafericson
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    OK, now I am reconsidering environmental stress. Since I can't find anything disease related.
    I'm going with jean001a conclusion. My plants both indoors and out have been subjected to colder root temps with higher leaf temps.
    I start the plants out in a closet where prior years I would have the lights on 24-7 and there would be no fluctuations in temp. This year however I took someone's advice and decided that they do need night time rest. When the lights go off the closet is not heated and the temp will go from (just a guess) 100ðf to 65ðf the Same thing goes for my small greenhouse, prior years we have had very warm end of winter temps so this year they have been subjected to warmer days and colder nights that my small heater can't compensate for.
    The best I can do at least for the indoor plants is put them back on the 24-7 light time to keep the closet at a steady temp. As far as the greenhouse I just need a bigger space heater but its not in the budget for this year.
    I checked on craigslist for a used one with no luck. So I guess it will have to wait.
    Thank you for everyone's help. I was lost with this one.
    Eric.

  • seysonn
    10 years ago

    When the lights go off the closet is not heated and the temp will go from (just a guess) 100ðf to 65ðf the Same thing goes for my small greenhouse,
    %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

    Eric,
    Glad that you have figured it out.

    On the above quote, 100F to 65F is a big fluctuation. In particular 100F seems to be too high (to me). I do turn off the light for my plants at night and it can get as cold as 60F but when the lights are on never higher than 75; I have peppers, tomatoes, eggplants.

  • woohooman San Diego CA zone 10a
    10 years ago

    One reason why I run my lights at night and give them their darkness hours in the daytime.

    Kevin

  • flipback23
    9 years ago

    I do the same as Kevin, my indoor plants get their light from 5pm to 9am. Since my garage is dark daytime is their nighttime. And Im thinking maybe it is environmental as well. Since our weather has been wacko over here lately. We had a crazy heat wave with 75 plus highs and now have 50-60 highs. After the heat wave I started getting the spotty stuff on my plants. But like I said they are still growing fine. So im not worried about it right now lol. I have other issues to deal with like stupid aphids again. They are non stop on my garden right now. Hitting everything from my inside/outside peppers to broccoli and everything else in between. Driving me nuts battling these guys.
    Rey....

  • woohooman San Diego CA zone 10a
    9 years ago

    Rey: a quick, cheap fix to them right now would be go to a nursery and pick up some ladybugs and some marigolds and alyssum. Don't forget to put the indoor plants outside and release a few near them also. The flowers will keep them around after they've cleaned up the aphids. You can also order them online -- if you go that route, you may just want to spend a few extra bucks and order some lacewing eggs. Note: if you have an ant problem, fix it before releasing lacewing eggs; they'll eat them before they hatch.

    Kevin

  • jean001a
    9 years ago

    If you must purchase insects, lacebugs are the best choice as they will hang around for much longer than will ladybugs. Typically they're sent as eggs which you distribute among infested leaves.

    Ladybugs are generically (oops; genetically) programmed to fly, fly away home when they "wake up" from dormancy.

    This post was edited by jean001a on Tue, Apr 1, 14 at 0:04

  • PunkRotten
    9 years ago

    I've had this problem before and even seen it on tomato leaves. Nothing significant ever happened. The plants grew and produced as if they were a perfectly normal/healthy plant. I believe it is environmental stress as well because I have seen it on indoor plants where I used sterile soil.

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